Singer Papon caught kissing minor — Celebrities react with shock and horror

Image Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi: A number of celebrities have come out and expressed their displeasure while slamming singer Papon, who is at the centre of controversy for kissing a minor reality show contestant during a Facebook Live. 

Celebrities such as Raveena Tandon, Gauhar Khana and Suchitra Krishnamoorthy opposed the singer behaviour's while calling his action 'disgustful and shameful'. 

Here are some of the reactions: 

Raveena Tandon: Disgusting! Shameful! Perverse! This man Papon should be arrested ! The girl's parents succumbing to pressure! The explanations given are ridiculous! Haven't felt such anger and shame to see this happen and some on tv debates actually defending the act.

Disgusting! Shameful!Perverse! This man Papon should be arrested ! The girls parents succumbing to pressure ! The explanations given are ridiculous! Haven't felt such anger and shame to see this happen and some on tv debates actually defending the act !

— Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) February 23, 2018

Suchitra Krishnamoorthi: If anybody behaved with my daughter the way Papon did with the teenage girl I would slap him several times in such a way that no one dared behave that way again.

If anybody behaved with my daughter the way #Papon did with the teenage girl I would slap him several times in such a way that no one dared behave that way again

— Suchitra Krishnamoorthi (@suchitrak) February 23, 2018

Gauahar Khan: Wasn't smothering a child's face with your palm rubbing colour all over it for four seconds enough as fatherly love, that you had to pull the child's face then to strategically peck her on the lip. There was no wrong camera angle or the child moving her face mistakenly.

Wasn't smothering a child's face with your palm rubbing color all over it for 4 secs enough as fatherly love, that u had to pull the child's face then to strategically peck her on the lip??? There was no wrong camera angle or the child moving her face mistakenly BTW __#papon_

— Gauahar Khan (@GAUAHAR_KHAN) February 23, 2018

Ashoke Pandit: Papon body language and his brash attitude while abusing the child is a sign of arrogance and complete disregard for the law. This is a benchmark trait of every powerful sexual predator.

If a father doesn’t stand against his daughter’s abuse by #Papon in d name of “fatherly love”, then the father also should be tried for being an accomplice to wrong touch.

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) February 23, 2018

Filmmaker Farah Khan says that singer Papon is a good human being but his video in which he is seen kissing a minor girl made her feel uncomfortable. 

"I know Papon. He is good guy. But there is no doubt that when I saw the video it made me feel uncomfortable. I think he didn't mean to do it. But if it was my daughter, I would not like it. I think people should not touch other people's children, just to show affection," she told ANI. 

The controversy also gave birth to '#IStandWithPapon' hastag, which is used by a section to extend their support to the singer. 

Monali Thakur: I got so many calls yesterday for this ridiculous misinterpretation of a man’s gesture of affection! I am a girl n I know what is a sexual perversion in a man! And Papon is anything but that! Leave aside for a kid! Lotsa love @paponmusic #iStandbyPapon https://youtu.be/fZejg8d8KR4

I got so many calls yesterday for this ridiculous misinterpretation of a man’s gesture of affection! I am a girl n I know what is sexual perversion in a man! And Papon is anything but that! Leave aside for a kid! Lotsa love @paponmusic #iStandbyPapon ttps://t.co/UJhX9P8fZH

— Monali Thakur (@monalithakur03) February 24, 2018

Suchitra Pillai: #IStandByPapon a supremely talented musician whom I have worked with and know well .i will never believe that there was any ugly ulterior purpose to that show of affection from him. So, #istandwithpapon #IStandByPapon

#IStandByPapon a supremely talented musician whom I have worked with and know well .i will never believe that there was any ugly ulterior purpose to that show of affection from him. So, #istandwithpapon #IStandByPapon

— suchitra pillai (@suchitrapillai) February 24, 2018

Shaan, who is also a judge on the reality show along with Papon, also extended his support to Papon and tweeted about the incident. “My stand is on assumption that it was actually a wrong angle and the kiss was not on the lips.. I’ve known Papon to be an extremely affectionate person and not a ‘pervert’ as being accused.. of course Law of the Land must take its course,” he wrote but later deleted the tweet.

Musician Zubeen Garg: I m sorry about th incident happened wth papon recently.he called me up today n we spoke fr sm time.i saw his statement also.i know him from a long time.i dnt think he had any intention to do it.its a simple incident which became viral in social media.so chill out be calm n enjoy ur moments evryday.we r musicians we love people n we r there only bcoz of th people.salute comrades.our music is our bonding.