Thiruvananthapuram: Levelling a scathing attack on the Kerala government, Opposition leader VD Satheesan said it is trying to protect sexual crime offenders named in the Hema Commission report that exposed violence against women in the Malayalam film industry. Addressing the media here on Wednesday, Satheesan questioned the CPM-led government's anti-woman stance.
He sought an explanation from the government for not ordering any probe into the findings in the report to prosecute the wrongdoers. "The report revealed clear violation of Sections 176(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 199(C) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and 121 of the POCSO Act. However, the government is adamant that it will order no probe into the findings in the report. The government should explain this stubbornness," said Satheesan.
Denouncing the Pinarayi Vijayan government's anti-woman stance, Satheesan also criticised it for omitting major portions of the report. He alleged the government removed some paragraphs more than those asked by the Information Commission to protect certain people. The Congress leader asked the government to name these 'protected' people.
"The government should answer its motive behind organising a film conclave by making the victims sit with the offenders. The programme will be an insult to the women who faced sexual harassment in the film industry. We don't understand why the Pinarayi government is taking such an anti-woman stance," said Satheesan.
