Hema Committee Impact: Karnataka Women's Commission Gives 15 Days To KFCC To Come Up With POSH Plan

Hema Committee report left a grave impact on other regional industries, including the Karnataka film industry. Earlier this month, FIRE managed to get 153 artists to undersign a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding a committee on the lines of the Hema Committee, whose report revealed instances of abuse and harassment of women professionals in Malayalam cinema, leading to outcry. A day later, it was announced that the Karnataka State Women's Commission would be probing the MeToo charges in Sandalwood. While the commission presented a 17-point agenda to tackle the sexual and other exploitation of women in the industry, the body has now asked the Kannada film chamber to come up with a POSH plan.

Kannada Film Chamber to present a POSH plan within 15 days

The Karnataka State Women's Commission, on Monday, asked a Kannada Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) to come up with an action plan for putting together a committee against sexual harassment or give reasons why it is not possible to do that. Director of KFCC N M Suresh and filmmaker Kavitha Lankesh, who attended a meeting in this connection, confirmed the commission's direction to the chamber, per news agency PTI.

In the meeting convened by KFCC with women artists, as directed by the state Women's Commission a few days ago, the former was given 15 days to come up with an action plan for putting together a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace) committee or give reasons why it is not possible to do that. "It is a small step in the battle for justice for women in the film industry. And today it really felt like we were in a battle even for this small gain," said Lankesh president of the Film Industry for Rights & Equality (FIRE). She was present at the meeting.

According to Lankesh, it has also decided to survey women in the industry, offering them a chance to come out with their problems anonymously, if they so wish so.

Suresh, on the other hand, said the organisation will be looking into the demand to introduce the POSH Act in the Kannada film industry as well as forming a panel on the likes of the Hema Committee.

'No woman in the Kannada industry has come forward to make a formal complaint'

During the meeting, the Women's Commission presented a 17-point agenda to tackle the exploitation of women in the Kannada industry. "Once they send these 17 demands as a letter, we will convene a meeting among us and discuss further. The point is, no woman in the Kannada industry has come forward to make a formal complaint against anyone to us so far. Neither has the women's commission any complaint from industry women lodged with them. So we will have to see if we really require a committee like the Hema committee. These things we will discuss soon," said Suresh.

Lankesh said when women had come forward, they were either belittled or asked to compromise, thus dissuading others. "Without even a helpline number, women or the workers, who are also exploited, had nowhere to go. Now, with all the pushing and prodding after the Hema committee report was released, we have at least come this far," she added.

-With PTI Inputs-