Centre sitting on sex abuse law

New Delhi: The women and child development (WCD) ministry on Saturday pointed fingers at the  law ministry for the organisations getting away by not setting up sexual harassment committees. The WCD ministry claimed that the law ministry, “seemed to be in no hurry” and has been “sitting on the new rule book.”

The Sexual Harass-ment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redr-essal) Act, 2013 provides for a mechanism in terms of internal and local complaints committees to be established by the employer.
According to sources, organisations cannot be held accountable for not setting up complaints panel as the ministry is yet to notify new rules. The new rules define both punishment and fine for the offenders.
“We understand that there are Vishakha guidelines that need to be followed but that Parliamentary Act is above that. In this case, while the Act has been passed, the rules that make an Act operative are still pending with the law ministry since July. Unless these rules are notified how do we expect organization to adhere to the Act.”
The law ministry is now all set to push for setting up the panel in all organisations including the media groups. Even the NCW has decided to crack the whip. “We are working on a scheme that will ensure that the Act is implemented properly,” said Shafeena Shafiq, NCW member.

Next: Another scribe asks for justice

Another scribe asks for justice

Manoj Anand |?DC

Guwahati: A day after alleged sexual assault case against Tarun Tejpal rocked the nation, a woman journalist from Assam Sabita Lahkar has written letter to National Human Rights Commission pointing out as to how she has been running from pillar to post for past 10-years seeking justice in a bizarre incident of sexual assault by her editor in Assam.

Lahkar who consented to reveal her identity said, “I have been fighting for justice since 2003 but could not get it. The influence of the editor is such that neither police nor any human rights organisations in the state is allowed to probe the case.”

In a letter to the NHRC chairman, which has been released to media, Lahkar said, “I would like to inform you that I was also abused by a senior editor of Assam in 2003. I also demanded action against Homen Borgohain, editor of Amar Asom, a popular Assamese daily,” she added. “I had to face repeated sexual and professional harassment for three years from the said editor,” she said. Lahkar added that she even filed an FIR against the editor.

The issue was also brought to the notice of the Press Council of India and the Editors’ Guild. But the police did not call the editor to record his statement.