Outlook’s satire on Smita Sabharwal turns bitter

• Journalists and activists alike term the gossipy news extremely sexist and offensive
• Smita Sabharwal sends a legal notice to the magazine for carrying the piece
• Sabarwal specifically says that the apology cannot be a non-descriptive one in a tiny section of the magazine but a detailed apology that meets the outrage and hurt that she has been subject to

Weekly news magazine Outlook has landed itself in fresh trouble after Smita Sabharwal, an IAS officer in the Telangana Chief Minister's office, has sent a legal notice to the magazine for carrying a sexist piece on her. In the legal notice sent by Sabharwal's lawyer Rachna Reddy, Outlook has been slammed by the IAS officer with the article being labelled "distasteful, cheap and titillating".

In a recent edition, Outlook had published a piece titled 'No boring Babu' in its 'Deep Throat' column. The piece spoke about how the bureaucrat is present at every meeting making a "fashion statement with her lovely saris and serves as 'eye candy' at meetings."

The article had also drawn a backlash from journalists and activists alike who termed the gossipy-news bit extremely sexist and offensive. Though the article does not name the officer, many have pointed out that the article alludes to Smita Sabharwal, the first female IAS officer to be appointed by the Telangana chief minister's office.

The legal notice says that Sabharwal was "Utterly flabbergasted, shell shocked, angry and extremely disturbed by the article." The five page legal notice sent to Outlook's editor-in-chief Krishna Prasad and Hyderabad-based assistant editor Madhavi Tata alleges that Outlook has deliberately played mischief by implying that Sabarwal's portfolio was a mystery.

It also says that "Sabarwal's hard work, dedication and her excellence at her chosen profession are washed away by the mere fact of her being an attractive, young and successful woman who has also accomplished quite a lot professionally, owing to her dedication and perseverance."

The legal notice points out that Outlook had conveniently chosen to not point out that Sabarwal was present at the fashion show with her husband Dr Akun Sabarwal, who is also an IPS officer, presently Director, Drugs Control Administration, Telangana. Sabarwal has demanded a detailed public apology through Outlook that is "visible and of the same dimensions and verbiage as the frivolous and vexatious article that you seem to think is satirical."

Sabarwal specifically says that the apology cannot be a non-descriptive one in a tiny section of the magazine but a detailed apology that meets the outrage and hurt that she has been subject to. Outlook has been given a 15 day notice to act on the notice failing which Sabarwal has threatened to file civil and criminal suit against the magazine including defamation, damages and criminal action.

One a concluding note, the notice states that the society has come a long way since Stone Age. According to her Wikipedia page, Sabharwal is a popular officer. It reads, “She is known popularly as people’s officer and is known to use latest developments in technology to her advantage, especially in implementing government programmes on field.

Monitoring of hovernment doctors through Skype has completely changed the scenario in the public health sector. Performance monitoring of government schools through specially designed software has made Karimnagar and Medak districts stand top in the state during her tenure.”

With inputs from The News Minute