Hema Committee report: Govt continues to be with hunters and not victims by not bringing findings under purview of SIT, says Opposition

Hema Committee report: Kerala Opposition Leader criticizes government for not investigating sexual harassment allegations in Malayalam film industry thoroughly.

Kerala’s Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan has accused the Left front government of “being with the hunters and not the victims” by not bringing the findings of the K. Hema Committee report under the ambit of the special investigation team (SIT) constituted for conducting a preliminary inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.

“The press release issued by the office of the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announcing the setting up the team has not even the mention of Hema Committee report. The government seems adamant that it will not investigate the statements and evidence submitted by the victims before the committee. It is unacceptable,” he said here on Monday (August 26, 2024).

Mr. Satheesan said the Kerala High Court had asked the government to make its stance on the findings of the committee. “The government is trying to find ways not to investigate the shocking revelations made by the victims while protecting the hunters. It is an insult on the victims by asking them to submit their statements again before the special investigation team,” he said.

The Leader of the Opposition asked why the government included male police officers, despite having four women officers in the SIT. “I have nothing against them, but there had been serious allegations against them for the lapses in the investigation of sexual assault against women raised in the Kerala Assembly earlier. Is it right to include such officers in such a team?” he asked.

He said several allegations of misbehaviour against women had emerged against actor Mukesh, MLA. “It is up to him to decide whether to resign from his MLA post as we hope that he will do it,” he said.