Connect with us

National

Justice Hema report: Kerala opposition demands police probe into women's sexual exploitation in Malayalam film industry

Published

on

Justice Hema report: Kerala opposition demands police probe into women's sexual exploitation in Malayalam film industry

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 19 (IANS) Hours after the damning Justice K. Hema Committee Report on the conditions of women working in the Malayalam film industry, containing shocking revelations on how women in the film industry are being sexually exploited, was finally released on Monday, Kerala’s Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government for keeping this report in cold storage since 2019.

Justice Hema (retd) submitted her report in 2019 after being appointed by the Vijayan government in 2017 and it cost the state government Rs 1.50 crore. However, it was only after a long-drawn legal battle that the report was released on Monday, even amid last-minute attempts to delay the release.

“This is a grave crime done by the Vijayan government and we wish to know why was this report kept in cold storage. Was it to save those who did the exploitation? The need of the hour is a special police probe team headed by a top woman IPS official and bring to book all the wrong-doers, whosoever they are and wherever they are placed,” said Satheesan.

Incidentally, state Culture and Films Minister Saji Cherian said he has been the Minister for the past over three years and to date, no complaint of any exploitation has come before him.

“Now a report has been published and it speaks of such things, but I am ready to order a probe if there is any complaint. I wish to inform all that no one needs to be worried and any woman coming with a complaint will face no duress,” he said.

ALSO READ:  Telangana issues notification for recruitment of 11,062 teachers

“We are holding a conclave in the next few months wherein all leading lights of the film industry from various segments will be invited and a threadbare discussion will take place and all burning issues will be addressed,” Cherian added.

The Hema Committee’s 289-page report’s opening reads: “The sky is full of mysteries; with the twinkling stars and the beautiful moon. But, scientific investigation revealed that stars do not twinkle nor does the moon look beautiful. The study, therefore, cautions: ‘Do not trust what you see, even salt looks like sugar’.”

“The experiences which many women have gone through in cinema are really shocking and are of such gravity that they had not disclosed those details even to the close family members. Surprisingly, in the course of our study, we came to know that certain men also had suffered a lot of issues in the industry and many of them, including some very prominent artistes, were unauthorisedly banned from working in cinema for a considerable length of time. It was shocking to know that the sole reason for such unauthorised banning was due to very silly reasons. They would have knowingly or unknowingly ‘invited wrath of one or other person from the powerful lobby in the industry, which rules the industry,” it said.

ALSO READ:  Security guard trampled to death by elephant in TN's Bharathiar university campus

“The major issue which women face in the film industry is sexual harassment. It is the worst evil which women in cinema face in the film industry. Most of the women in cinema, who are known to be very bold, are reluctant and hesitant to divulge their bad experiences in cinema, particularly of sexual harassment. They are scared to disclose it even to their colleagues in the cinema, fearing consequences which they may have to face. They are afraid that if they divulge their issues to others, they will be banned from cinema and subjected to other harassment, since such persons are powerful in cinema and all men in cinema will stand together by them. By using fans and fan clubs, there would be severe online harassment against them (women artistes) on social media. They would also face a threat to life, not only to themselves but, even to their close family members also, it is stated by various witnesses. They are thus, silenced in cinema,” the Justice Hema report said.

“According to women in cinema, the harassment starts from the very inception. It is revealed from the statements of various witnesses who were examined before the committee that the production controller or whoever gives an offer for a role in cinema first’ approaches the woman/girl or if it is the other way and, a woman approaches any person in cinema seeking a chance in cinema, she is told that she has to make ‘adjustments’ and “compromise” to take her in cinema. ‘Compromise’ and ‘adjustment’ are two terms which are very familiar among women in the Malayalam film industry and they are asked to make themself available for sex on demand.”.

ALSO READ:  Himachal: ARTRAC Unit gets appreciation award

“There may be instances of consensual sex, but women in cinema generally, are not willing to share a bed to get a chance in cinema. Another witness stated before the committee that there may also be women who would be willing to adjust to the demands and she herself has seen certain mothers who are conniving at the situation and believe that there is nothing wrong with it. The witness stated that this is a shocking reality. According to women in cinema, it is a sad state of affair that a woman has to surrender to sexual demands for her to get a job in cinema whereas there is no such state of affair in any other field, it was pointed out by many witnesses who are examined before the committee,” states the report.

–IANS

sg/vd

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

National

Defence Ministry: Year 2025 will be year of reforms

Published

on

rajnath singh with armed forces chief

On Wednesday, the Defence Ministry announced that 2025 will be designated as the “Year of Reforms,” with a primary focus on establishing integrated theatre commands to enhance collaboration among the three branches of the military.

These reforms are aimed at transforming the armed forces into a technologically advanced, combat-ready force capable of executing multi-domain integrated operations, the ministry stated.

The initiative will emphasize emerging domains such as cyber and space, alongside cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, hypersonics, and robotics.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the “Year of Reforms” as a pivotal milestone in the modernization of the armed forces.

“It will set the stage for significant advancements in the nation’s defense capabilities, ensuring the security and sovereignty of India in the face of 21st-century challenges,” he said.

ALSO READ:  Telangana issues notification for recruitment of 11,062 teachers
Continue Reading

National

A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning

Published

on

A 3.2 magnitude tremor struck Gujarat’s Kutch district on Wednesday morning, according to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR).

The district administration reported no casualties or property damage following the quake.

The tremor occurred at 10:24 am, with its epicenter located 23 kilometers north-northeast (NNE) of Bhachau, as per the Gandhinagar-based ISR.

Last month, the region experienced four seismic events exceeding a magnitude of 3, including a 3.2 magnitude tremor just three days ago, with its epicenter also near Bhachau.

Earlier tremors in the area included a 3.7 magnitude earthquake on December 23 and a 3.2 magnitude event on December 7, according to ISR reports.

Kutch was also jolted by a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on November 18, 2024. On November 15, a 4.2 magnitude quake hit Patan in north Gujarat, based on ISR data.

Gujarat is considered a high-risk earthquake zone, having experienced nine major earthquakes over the past 200 years, according to the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA). The 2001 earthquake in Kutch, which occurred on January 26, was the third-largest and second-most destructive in India in the last two centuries, according to the GSDMA.

ALSO READ:  Telangana issues notification for recruitment of 11,062 teachers
Continue Reading

National

Diljit Dosanjh faces legal action over concert songs

Published

on

Singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh’s much-anticipated New Year’s Eve concert in Ludhiana faced legal hurdles after a complaint was filed by Punditrao Dharenavar, an assistant professor from Chandigarh.

Following the complaint, the Deputy Director of the Women and Child Department, Government of Punjab, issued a formal notice to Ludhiana’s District Commissioner, urging them to prohibit Dosanjh from performing specific songs during his live show on December 31, 2024.

The notice specifically targets songs accused of promoting alcohol, including Patiala Peg, 5 Tara Theke, and Case (Jeeb Vicho Feem Labbiya), even if the lyrics are slightly modified. The complaint points to previous warnings issued to Dosanjh by various commissions advising against performing these controversial tracks.

Despite these warnings, the singer allegedly continues to perform the songs with minor alterations. Dharenavar raised serious concerns about the influence of such music on young audiences, especially when minors are present at live events.

Adding to the controversy, Dharenavar referenced a 2019 Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling, which directed law enforcement to ensure that songs promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence are not played at public events, including concerts. This ruling underscores the legal basis for the complaint and has further intensified the scrutiny surrounding the event.

ALSO READ:  Telangana issues notification for recruitment of 11,062 teachers
Continue Reading

National

UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured

Published

on

UP Minister’s convoy overturns, 5 person injured

Five people sustained injuries when a vehicle in the convoy of Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad overturned into a ditch near Januan village in the Khejuri Police Station area of Ballia district late last night.

Sanjay Nishad shared details of the incident, stating that the accident injured five party workers, including four women.

“I was traveling with the convoy to participate in the Constitutional Rights Yatra organized by the party on Tuesday night. Near Januan village in the Khejuri area, one of the vehicles following the convoy lost control while trying to avoid an animal and overturned into a ditch,” Nishad explained.

The injured individuals have been identified as Rakesh Nishad, Ramrati, Usha, Geeta, and Iravati Nishad.

Senior police and administrative officials quickly arrived at the scene following the incident to oversee the situation.

ALSO READ:  Spokesman Kunal Ghosh turns rebel, drops Trinamool identity from social media profile
Continue Reading

National

Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder

Published

on

Suchir Balaji’s mother alleges Murder

The mother of Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher found dead after accusing the company of copyright violations, has alleged that her son was “murdered” and called for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe.

Poornima Rao, Suchir’s mother, claimed her son’s death was a “cold-blooded murder” that authorities wrongly ruled as suicide. She further disclosed that a private autopsy report conflicted with the findings of the initial police investigation.

Rao alleged that her son’s apartment had been “ransacked” and cited evidence of a struggle in the bathroom, including bloodstains that suggested he had been assaulted.

“We hired a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy to uncover the truth. The private autopsy does not confirm the cause of death stated by the police. Suchir’s apartment was ransacked, there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, and it appears he was hit based on blood spots. This is a cold-blooded murder being misclassified as a suicide. Lobbying in San Francisco won’t deter us from seeking justice. We demand an FBI investigation,” Rao wrote on X.

ALSO READ:  Man arrested for threatening SDM in UP

Elon Musk reacted to Rao’s post, commenting, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide.”

Balaji was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment months after accusing OpenAI of violating copyright laws during the development of ChatGPT, as reported by Fox News. Despite these claims, the San Francisco Police Department found no evidence of foul play and ruled the death a suicide.

On October 24, shortly before his death, Balaji voiced doubts about the “fair use” defense in generative artificial intelligence. “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products,” he wrote on X.

Continue Reading

Trending