The Congress-led UDF opposition staged a walkout in the Kerala assembly on Friday after being denied permission by the Speaker for an adjournment motion debate on the alleged lack of further investigation into the allegations of sexual assault mentioned in the Justice Hema committee report.
The report by a three-member panel headed by retired high court justice K Hema, publicised last month, had pointed to systemic sexual abuse of women in the Malayalam film industry, poor treatment of junior artists, widespread disparities in remuneration and the presence of an all-male “power group” that called the shots.
The UDF alleged that the CPM-led government failed to take timely action on the findings in the Hema panel report which was submitted to the government in December 2019. It claimed that the lack of an informed debate in the Assembly on issues concerning the safety and security of women especially in the film industry was “an insult to the state”.
RMP MLA KK Rema had moved the notice seeking to adjourn the House and discuss the alleged lack of government action on the findings in the report. Speaker AN Shamseer denied permission for the discussion stating that the case was being considered by the Kerala high court.
Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan said, “The Speaker’s decision is against laid-out rules of the House. We asked the chief minister where else, other than the Assembly, can a discussion be held on issues pertaining to women. The Assembly is turning into a Kaurava sabha.”
{{/usCountry}}Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan said, “The Speaker’s decision is against laid-out rules of the House. We asked the chief minister where else, other than the Assembly, can a discussion be held on issues pertaining to women. The Assembly is turning into a Kaurava sabha.”
{{/usCountry}}The Congress leader alleged that the government sat on the Hema panel report for four-and-a-half years despite being aware about the serious allegations of sexual assault including against minors being said in the document.
“Under section 21 of the POCSO Act and 199 (c) of the BNSS, if an investigation based on an FIR is not conducted despite knowing that a sexual offence has been committed, concealment is punishable up to six months of imprisonment. By hiding the report, the ministers and officials have made criminal offence,” he said.
Minister for culture Saji Cherian told the Assembly on October 9 that the government declined to publicise the report based on the recommendation of Justice K Hema citing the concerns of privacy of those who testified before the panel about the issues they faced in the industry. The government has so far dismissed allegations of taking the report and the allegations in it lightly.