NCW Demands Full Version Of Hema Committee Report Within A Week After BJP Leaders File Complaint

Malayalam Cinema News: The Hema Committee report has revealed the harrowing tales of sexual harassment and discrimination faced by women professionals in the Malayalam film industry. The rise in harassment allegations against prominent figures in Mollywood has caused an uproar among the people.

NCW demands critical intervention in the matter

According to reports, BJP leaders PR Shivashankar and Sandeep Vaachaspathi filed a complaint which prompted an intervention of the National Commission For Women (NCW) regarding the disclosure of Hema Committee Report in full. In response to the complaint, a letter has been sent to the Kerala Chief Secretary to produce a copy of the full report.

Redacted version of the Hema Committee Report published?

As per reports, the government released the Hema Committee Report in which pages 49-53 have been omitted. 130 paras were omitted while 21 paragraphs were proposed to be omitted. The reason cited is that the government needs to protect the privacy of individuals.

Only the abridged version of the report, comprising 233 pages, was released to the public on August 19, excluding the only parts in which it could violate the privacy of the individuals mentioned.

Reports suggest that another reason behind the demand for the full report is the rise in allegations that the government has excluded more information than recommended by the SIT to protect certain individuals.

Why was the Justice K Hema Committee formed?

The Justice K Hema Committee was formed after pressure mounted on the government in Kerala in connection to the 2017 case. The incident involved prominent Malayalam actor Dileep and others being charged with sexual assault of an actress in a moving vehicle in Kochi.

Later, the Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) was formed and a written appeal was submitted to the Chief Minster, Government of Kerala to address the situation with urgency and effectiveness. The Justice K Hema Committee was formed and its members included veteran actress Sharada and retired IAS officer KV Valsalakumari.