Kerala, women's forum at odds over making report public; NCW for disclosure

Thiruvananthapuram, May 2 (PTI) Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev's claim that the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) did not want the Justice Hema Commission report to be made public has been refuted by the women's body while the National Commission for Women (NCW) asked the State government to release the findings.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary of Kerala V P Joy, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said it had on March 22 this year 'intimated' the government about releasing the findings to the public without disclosing the details of the victims.

"In reference to the above, it has been observed that even after a lapse of more than a month, the recommendation given by the regarding the Justice Hema Commission has not been complied with.

"You are, therefore, again reminded to share the recommendations and observations of the report of the Justice Hema Commission with the public at the earliest. A feedback on the matter must be apprised to the NCW within 15 days," the letter said.

The letter comes in the wake of the Law Minister's statement to reporters that it was the WCC which had sought that the report not be released.

He said the government was in favour of implementation of the recommendations and on that aspect it was in agreement with the WCC.

Rajeev further said the WCC wanted a law to be made based on the recommendations and this was being considered in a positive way by the government which would be holding discussions with all stakeholders. Some developments in the matter can be expected soon, the Minister said.

Refuting the Minister's claim that WCC did not want the recommendations and findings to be made public, Deedi Damodaran, one of its members, told reporters that WCC's stand to release the report was right from the start She said their only concern was confidentiality of the identities of the artists/victims who gave statements before the Commission.

Damodaran said she does not know why the Law Minister said WCC did not want the report to be released and opined that it might be a "misunderstanding" or "miscommunication" on his part.

"I am also curious to know why he said that," she told the reporters.

Meanwhile, Rajeev's party colleague and State Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan also supported the former's stand and said the report was not disclosed by the government as Justice Hema had asked not to make it public and even the Information Commission had said so.

"If the person who gave the report says not to release it, how can we release it," he said.

The Minister said the main issue was to ensure a safe and secure working environment for women in the film industry and for that the process has been started to frame a law based on the Commission's recommendations.

Cheriyan, speaking to reporters, further said a draft law has been prepared based on the recommendations of the Commission and a discussion would be held with all stakeholders, including WCC and other representatives of the film industry, to get their views.

After receiving suggestions from the stakeholders, the draft law would be sent to the Law Department for further steps before it is tabled in the Assembly, he said.

The call for implementing the Commission's recommendations is being raised by many in the wake of allegations of rape and sexual harassment against actor-producer Vijay Babu. PTI HMP NVG NVG