Boria Majumdar: 'He Lied Through His Teeth'; Deserves Apology From Cricketer For Social Media Abuse

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In his latest book "Banned: A Social Media Trial," senior journalist Boria Majumdar has mounted a forceful defense and leveled serious counter-accusations against the former India and Bengal cricketer who accused him of bullying two years prior.

Majumdar, who faced a two-year ban from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) due to these allegations, seeks to clear his name and expose what he describes as deceit on the part of the cricketer.

Majumdar writes in his book, "To be told that you are a bully, that you have threatened a cricketer and intimidated him merely for an interview, when you have not, compels one to set the record straight. My mother, now 74, became severely anxious and depressed, and my wife was harassed and abused on social media."

The crux of the issue dates back to a series of events when Majumdar congratulated the cricketer on being bought by an Indian cricket franchise.

"I last spoke to the man on February 13, 2022," Majumdar states, questioning the timing of the public outcry that followed, "Why did he allow a week to pass before he posted those messages on social media?"

His puzzlement extends to the assignment of blame for the cricketer's mental trauma, which Majumdar vehemently denies having any part in. Majumdar also challenges the basis on which he was required to apologise, claiming innocence and a lack of wrongdoing from his side.

"Apologise for what? For not accepting the charges thrust on me? Or admitting to the guilt that I was being forced to concede to?" he writes, expressing frustration over the narrative that painted him as unremorseful and cold.

The book also touches upon the role of the media and public opinion in exacerbating the situation. Majumdar describes being caught in a "witch-hunt" fueled by social media and certain media narratives that sided with the cricketer without full consideration of the facts.

"The Cricketer told the committee that I had pressured, and by implication, intimidated him for the past 2-3 years. While he steered clear of naming me in public on this issue, his media declarations effectively stoked the fire of this controversy," Majumdar explains.

This publication comes two years after the BCCI's decisive action based on the cricketer's allegations and a subsequent investigation. The Board had barred Majumdar from acquiring accreditation for any domestic or international matches, as well as from conducting interviews or entering any state association or BCCI facilities.

This decision was based on evidence presented at the time, including the cricketer's public sharing of WhatsApp messages that allegedly showed Majumdar in a coercive light.

In his defense and through his book, Majumdar aims to offer a different perspective on the events that led to his professional and personal defamation, advocating for his side of the story to be heard amid the echo chamber of public opinion. His narrative invites readers and the cricketing community to reassess the saga that not only affected careers but also deeply impacted personal lives.