Controversial author-editor Tarun Tejpal , accused and awaiting trial on rape charges, was invited and subsequently un-invited to a literature festival conducted by a prominent English daily. While many believe that it was the power of the social media that forced the news organisation to have a rethink and subsequently withdraw invitation to the former Tehelka chief, the formal reason given by the organisers branding the outrage as "extraneous noise" has baffled many.

Merely a year back, the entire media fraternity was taken aback when Tarun Tejpal was accused of rape by a younger colleague. Tejpal was arrested in Goa and is currently out on bail. At that time, Tejpal in letters to his staff had apologised for his act, though later he changed his stance in the court. He even said that he wrote the letters under the pressure of Shoma Chaudhury, the then managing editor of Tehelka. While the case is still in court, many voiced their opinion that a person with such serious allegations shouldn’t be given a platform to put forth his views till the time the matter is resolved. Journalist Swapan Dasgupta pulled out of the lit-fest. According to The News Minute, on day one of the lit-fest, Tarun was supposed to moderate a session where well-known lawyer Ram Jethmalani was going to throw light on his autobiography. On day two, Tarun was slated to be part of a panel discussion titled, ‘The Tyranny of Power’ with Mani Shankar Aiyar and Basharat Peer. Journalist Manu Joseph was selected as the moderator of the session.

Also Read: Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal charged with rape; victim resigns

As soon as news broke of Tejpal’s involvement in the lit-fest and apparent rehabilitation, there was a huge outrage on social media.

It sparked vigorous debates about whether paving a path for rehabilitation of the journalist to the power axis of intellectuals was unfair or completely just as the person concerned has still not been proved guilty. But the overwhelming thought was that the media as a news disseminator should be like Caesar’s wife, where it should not only act fair but also should seem like acting fair.

So when Swapan Dasgupta himself broke the news on Twitter that Bachi Karkaria, one of the organisers of the fest has called him up to update that Tarun Tejpal would not be coming, there was a collective sigh of relief, a rare moment when people on Twitter lauded the second thoughts on the issue by the newspaper.

Also read: Full text of fresh statement issued by Tehelka rape case victim

TimesLitFest has a right to draw up its own guest list. I have the right to stay away on grounds I'll be a misfit. Have communicated this. — Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) November 23, 2014

Just received word from @bachikarkaria that the controversial invitation has been "withdrawn". Twitter pressure works, even on mega media. — Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) November 24, 2014

But soon, a controversial tweet by Bachi Karkaria marred the mood. She said that they have asked Tarun Tejpal to drop out of the lit-fest as they have a great programme and don’t want it to be hijacked by extraneous noise. So in one stroke, she branded the entire anger about inviting a rape accused to a lit-fest as some sort of a nuisance factor that was going to take the limelight out of their programme. This came as a shock to many as this was the same news organisation which sought to lead the way with the Nirbhaya movement, when the entire nation united with a grieving family whose daughter was brutally gang-raped.

Also read: Full text: Resignation letter of woman journalist who accused Tarun Tejpal of sexual assault

We have asked Tarun Tejpal to drop out of the TOI Litfest. We've got a great program & we don't want it hijacked by extraneous noise. — bachi karkaria (@bachikarkaria) November 24, 2014

Here a serious question about media ethics was virtually reduced to a single catch-phrase - "extraneous noise". Many believe that this was disrespectful to hundreds of normal people who wanted to give their voice to the issue of whether we as the media are judging our own with the same yardstick that we judge any supposedly errant politician or babu. It was a matter of propriety and not image management or PR as it was finally portrayed by the organisers. It was an issue of standing in solidarity with all rape victims, many of whom can’t even come out in the open, because of the societal stigma attached to it. The question remains, if there was no social media, and the "extraneous noise" generated by concerned readers, viewers and citizens, would the rape case have been brushed under the carpet, and would it have been life as normal for those involved?