NEW DELHI: BJP National President and union minister JP Nadda on Sunday criticized the CPI(M)-led Kerala government for its handling of the Hema Committee report on the Malayalam film industry. The report, which highlights issues of workplace harassment, gender discrimination, and exploitation of women, has stirred controversy, with Nadda alleging that leaders from the Communist Party are implicated in these issues.
“Why delay in justice to the Hema Committee report? What is stopping them (the Kerala government)? What is haunting you? Because you are part and parcel of that…it is something you want to hide because your people are involved,” Nadda remarked, news agency ANI quoted.
He further urged Kerala’s chief minister to clarify the involvement of Communist leaders, saying, “I am very sorry to say that the Hema Committee report very specifically said that Communist party leaders are involved. The chief minister should come out and tell what really happened.”
Nadda’s comments were made during an event in Palakkad where he interacted with various prominent figures from Kerala.
The Hema Committee, led by former high court judge K Hema, was established following a high-profile sexual assault case in 2017 involving a female actor in Kerala. The actor was abducted by five men, assaulted in a moving vehicle, and later filed a police complaint. The committee submitted its findings to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2018, but the report was only made public on August 19, 2024, five years after its submission.
According to the report, many female actors in the Malayalam cinema industry have faced sexual harassment, with some revealing that they were approached inappropriately before starting projects. The report also highlighted instances where female actors felt unsafe in their accommodations, with intoxicated industry workers reportedly knocking on their doors. Despite these concerns, many victims hesitated to report the harassment to the police, fearing repercussions.
In response to the growing allegations of sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry, the Kerala government has decided to form a special investigation team led by senior women police officers under the leadership of IG Sparjan Kumar.
Several prominent figures from the Malayalam film industry, including former general secretaries of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Siddique and Edavela Babu, filmmaker Ranjith, and actors Mukesh, Sudheesh, and Riyas Khan, have been publicly accused of sexual harassment or misconduct by some women.
“Why delay in justice to the Hema Committee report? What is stopping them (the Kerala government)? What is haunting you? Because you are part and parcel of that…it is something you want to hide because your people are involved,” Nadda remarked, news agency ANI quoted.
He further urged Kerala’s chief minister to clarify the involvement of Communist leaders, saying, “I am very sorry to say that the Hema Committee report very specifically said that Communist party leaders are involved. The chief minister should come out and tell what really happened.”
Nadda’s comments were made during an event in Palakkad where he interacted with various prominent figures from Kerala.
The Hema Committee, led by former high court judge K Hema, was established following a high-profile sexual assault case in 2017 involving a female actor in Kerala. The actor was abducted by five men, assaulted in a moving vehicle, and later filed a police complaint. The committee submitted its findings to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2018, but the report was only made public on August 19, 2024, five years after its submission.
According to the report, many female actors in the Malayalam cinema industry have faced sexual harassment, with some revealing that they were approached inappropriately before starting projects. The report also highlighted instances where female actors felt unsafe in their accommodations, with intoxicated industry workers reportedly knocking on their doors. Despite these concerns, many victims hesitated to report the harassment to the police, fearing repercussions.
In response to the growing allegations of sexual harassment within the Malayalam film industry, the Kerala government has decided to form a special investigation team led by senior women police officers under the leadership of IG Sparjan Kumar.
Several prominent figures from the Malayalam film industry, including former general secretaries of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) Siddique and Edavela Babu, filmmaker Ranjith, and actors Mukesh, Sudheesh, and Riyas Khan, have been publicly accused of sexual harassment or misconduct by some women.