Hema Committee report: Kerala government has nothing to hide, says state minister.
Kerala Culture Minister Saji Cherian said on Saturday that the government is adopting the recommendations of the Justice Hema Committee report, which uncovered terrible harassment and sexual exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry. Addressing the media, he emphasized that the administration strictly followed court orders, excluding only the portions that the State Information Commission advised not be released.
The case is currently before the High Court, and there are no objections if the court or the information commission orders that certain portions be made public, Cherian stated. He emphasized the government’s commitment to tackling issues affecting women in cinema, noting that this is the first time such a group has been formed in India.We have released all information requested by the State Information Commission on the report, and everything is transparent.” The minister also stated that the government is following the Hema Committee’s recommendations, including a film policy.
The government will create a film policy, he said.Cherian dismissed charges of failures, claiming that all acts performed by the government and its officials were lawful. We have nothing to fear from releasing any portion of the report, he emphasized. Following the 2017 actress assault case, the Kerala government formed the Justice Hema Committee, and its report found cases of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.
The investigation sheds light on the widespread and ongoing sexual harassment experienced by women in the Malayalam film business, with many claiming they were subjected to unwanted advances before beginning work. On August 25, the state government announced the formation of a seven-member special inquiry team to look into charges of sexual harassment and exploitation leveled against many performers and directors. As a result, many complaints appeared, causing waves in the Malayalam cinema industry.
A copy of the report was released to the media under the RTI Act in August of this year, five years after it was submitted to the government, with a few sections omitted because they were intended to protect the victims’ identities.A few journalists have approached the State Information Commission, claiming that five pages and 11 parts were missing from the Hema Committee report when it was provided under the RTI Act. However, after considering the case on Saturday, the Commission has yet to make an order in this regard, according to Commission sources.
