On Tuesday, even as he gloated about getting a letter from Bill Gates, there were at least three fronts the writer was defending himself on.
'your voice is critical to driving social change in India'Not everyday u get a letter from MrMrs @BillGates! humbled! pic.twitter.com/H7iB4f8VEZ
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 21, 2014
1. Ignorance of the anti-defection law On Tuesday afternoon, Chetan Bhagat sent out a Tweet about how the Bhartiya Janata Party could form a minority government in Maharashtra with no allies. He was suggesting that the BJP deal in open trading among other things that are illegal under the anti-defection law. Social media users took off against Bhagat claiming that he didn’t know the rules of government formation.
BJP needs 20 more seats in Maha. Take 10 from Independents. Break 5 each from SS/NCP. No allies. No drama. :) #MahaDilemma — Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 21, 2014
5 each from SS/NCP? Dear @chetan_bhagat, have you heard something called anti-defection law? — iMac_too (@iMac_too) October 21, 2014
Suggesting Horse Trading openly? RT @chetan_bhagat BJP needs 20 more seats in Maha. Take 10 frm Ind. Break 5 each frm SS/NCP. #MahaDilemma — Rajarshi Dutta (@RD_justRD) October 21, 2014
Dear @chetan_bhagat r u that dumb that you don't even know sumthing like Anti defection law exists ! jab nahi pata to muh band rakho — Prerna (@Prerna_India) October 21, 2014
2. Being snotty
On October 20, Bhagat enraged by an article about him that included the word "snotty’ in the headline. He thought the writer really meant "snooty". While speaking at his book launch at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Bhagat had said, “Educated girls don't want to date a guy who doesn't speak English and this is what I have tried to bring out in my novel.” This quote, as also his book in general, has outraged women on Twitter. He got a lashing for not knowing that "snotty" is actually a word.
So @chetan_bhagat got angry and called @Rajyasree an idiot and said SNOTTY wasn't, you know, a thing. Or a word. pic.twitter.com/3kgXYrpson
— Prasanto K Roy (@prasanto) October 20, 2014
@Rajyasree Probably because they're the 'massy' ones who hooted when CB said, "IIT mein ladkiyon ka sookha pada rehta tha".
— Shreya Sethuraman (@iconohclast) October 20, 2014
Half writer didn't know 'snotty' is a word. #lulz
— Snotty Brumby (@brownbrumby) October 21, 2014
#Awkward : Snotty is equally applicable RT “@chetan_bhagat: Firstpost attacks my English. But spell snooty as snotty http://t.co/SDegd7HdlQ”
— Trippy Tripper (@tripta_bhatia) October 21, 2014
3. Full outrage over Half Girlfriend
There has been outrage ever since the title for the book was announced. Social media users wondered what actually constitutes a "half" girlfriend.
"Deti hai to de varna kat le,'"says a character in the novel. That line has caused offence to many readers. The hero of the book is from Bihar, and Bhagat assumes that everyone from the state will love the book. By propagating sexist stereotypes to a mass audience, he's only adding fuel to fire, went the Twitter argument. If someone like Bhagat doesn’t use popular culture to influence change, then who can?
In a CNN-IBN aricle, Chetan Bhagat defended himself. "I want to tell the 'English types' what India is all about," he said. "They don't own the language and my question to them is will you not give someone a voice just because you don't like their accent. Indian literature has been catering to a niche ‒ that is very similar to the way English is spoken or written in the West ‒ and I always wanted to do a book that would question that."
But if the language is good she'll be your full girlfriend ‒“@chetan_bhagat: 'What you say matters, not the language- Riya #halfgirlfriend” — c.s.amudhan (@csamudhan) October 18, 2014
'Half Girlfriend' selling at Rs. 49 on @amazonIN today as part of Dhanteras Deals. I would prefer an egg roll for Rs 50 any day. — Sohini (@Mittermaniac) October 21, 2014
This evening Chetan Bhagat was at rendezvous, IIT-D. Loved the way a guy asked for his autograph - 'deta hai toh de varna kat le'. — Swachh_Delhite (@Rofl_Delhite) October 18, 2014
Pretty sure Honey Singh will have a song titled Deti hai toh de in movie adaptation of Half Girlfriend.
— Dorkstar (@Dorkstar) October 3, 2014
So, the exact lines the author wrote in the book are... 'Deti hai toh de, varna kat le' I'd rather chose some cheap Hindi literature to read
— Dr. Jaatni (@Bookwiser) October 19, 2014