The National Commission for Women (NCW) has urged the Kerala government to publish the recommendations and observations in the Hema Committee report.
Headed by retired judge Hema, the committee was formed on July 1, 2017, by Kerala’s Department of Cultural Affairs, in the aftermath of the Malayalam female actor abduction and sexual assault incident.
Its aim was to study gender disparity, sexual harassment, and other such issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. Many women submitted their testimonies before the commission. A report was subsequently submitted to the government on December 31, 2019. However, it has not been made public so far.
On Monday, Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of NCW, sent a letter addressed to Kerala’s Chief Secretary VP Joy reminding the government to share the recommendations and observations of the Hema Committee report with the public at the earliest.
The NCW noted that they had earlier sent a letter on March 22, requesting the release of the Hema Committee to the public without disclosing the details of the victims, but this was not complied with. The letter added that a response had to be submitted now within 15 days.
Further, Sharma said that if the report does not reach them within the stipulated time, the NCW will set up an independent enquiry into the matter.
Meanwhile, P Rajeev, Kerala’s Minister for Law, Industries and Coir, told The Indian Express that the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) did not want the Hema Committee report to be published, and only wanted the recommendations in it to be implemented.
He added, “Justice Hema Committee Report was not tabled in the assembly, as the committee was not appointed as per the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952. The identity of individuals who gave testimonies before the committee cannot be revealed and WCC also supported this decision of the government and the Hema Committee. The priority is to implement the recommendations made by the committee.”
However, the WCC refuted the statement made by the minister and shared a letter submitted during a meeting with him on January 21.
Stating that they take the Hema committee and its report very seriously, WCC said, “When we observed that in spite of so much money, time, and effort spent on the report there was no action, WCC approached various government agencies. We raised our voices and concerns regarding the silence from the side of the government. It is not enough to produce recommendations without the context of the findings. The case studies (removing the names and other details of the survivors), which have led to these recommendations, must be known.”
The WCC further added that its members will be participating in a meeting tomorrow convened by Saji Cherian, Kerala’s Minister for Culture.
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The WCC was formed by a group of female artists and technicians from the Malayalam film industry, including actors Manju Warrier, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rima Kallingal, Geethu Mohandas, and editor Bina Paul, in the aftermath of the 2017 female actor sexual assault incident.
The organisation successfully fought for the establishment of ICC/Grievance Redressal Cell in the Malayalam film industry. The Kerala High Court passed an order to that effect, recently. Another of the WCC’s long-term battles has been to make the Hema committee report public.