Kochi: Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan has expressed shock at the Hema Committee report, questioning why the government had been suppressing such a report for four and a half years. He asked whom the government was trying to protect by withholding the report.
Satheesan criticized those in power, who he claimed only reported on women’s issues but failed to take any action despite the large-scale misogyny revealed. He demanded that the Chief Minister clarify who the report was intended to protect and why it was withheld.
“Action must be taken based on the recommendations in the report. There should be investigations into sexual exploitation, criminal activities, and drug use in the film industry. Complaints of sexual exploitation should be investigated by a team of senior female IPS officers. Regardless of how high-ranking the perpetrator is, it is the government’s responsibility to bring them to justice. The report includes criminal charges, including POCSO cases, and urgent action must be taken against the perpetrators,” Satheesan said. He emphasized that exploitation of this nature should not be tolerated in any profession.
The Hema Commission was established to deeply study the issues faced by women in Malayalam cinema following the 2017 actress assault case. The commission, chaired by Justice K. Hema, and consisting of former IAS officer K.B. Vatsala Kumari and actress Sharada, completed the study and submitted the report to the government. The report, submitted on December 31, 2019, took five years to be made public.
