Controversy catches up with Chetan Bhagat, this time the writer is accused of plagiarism

Patna, Nov 24: Best-selling author Chetan Bhagat is caught up in yet another controversy and this time the controversy surrounds his latest and much-hyped novel 'Half Girlfriend.'

Bhagat has been accused of plagiarism by an English scholar from Bihar. The scholar, Dr Birbal Jha said that Bhagat got the plot of his novel from his play Englishia Boli.

Jha spoke to a media house and said that Bhagat had visited his institute this year and had interacted with the students and even watched his play. He claims that the plot of his play is similar to that of Bhagat's novel.

Dr Jha is the director of British Lingua, a spoken English institute in Patna.

On the other hand, the royal family of Dumraon has also sent Bhagat a legal notice accusing the author of showing the Royal family in poor light in his novel. Some reports also suggested that people in Dumraon were burning Bhagat's effigies protesting against his book.

Meanwhile, Bhagat took to Twitter to clarify the entire issue and tweeted:

Some random person somewhere makes a 'plagiarism' charge, somebody whom I do not know or am familiar with their work. Media carries it.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) November 23, 2014

Plagiarism is a serious charge, and one can simply compare two published works and see if it exists. Nobody bothered to do that.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) November 23, 2014

I have been writing for over 10 years and have been blessed by readers. never needed plagiarism, and is unthinkable for me.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) November 23, 2014

I have also had others claiming Half Girlfriend defames them or whatever. It is FICTION. Fake. No real names. No intent to defame. Chill.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) November 23, 2014

There's a girl called Riya who feels I have written Half Girlfriend for her and is stalking me. Other guys feel Madhav is them.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) November 23, 2014

Meanwhile, have to write letter to the family in Dumraon explaining the meaning of fiction and imaginary stories. Will do so privately.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) November 24, 2014

OneIndia News