Maneka proposes panel to look into #MeToo cases

The women and child development ministry plans to set up a panel of legal experts to look into the allegations of sexual harassment that have surfaced in the #MeToo campaign, minister Maneka Gandhi said on Friday, asserting that she believes in the “pain and trauma” of every complainant.

More women should come out and address the issue of sexual harassment and narrate their experiences, the minister said.

“I believe in all of them. I believe in the pain and trauma behind every single complainant,” she said.

She did not comment on the allegations of sexual harassment against her colleague M.J. Akbar, who has been accused by several former women colleagues of sexual harassment when he served as editor at various media organisations.

The minister of state for external affairs, film director Sajid Khan and actor Alok Nath are among those accused of sexual misconduct and more. “I am proposing to set up a committee with senior judicial and legal persons as members to look into all issues emanating from the #MeToo campaign,” she said.

The women and child development ministry plans to set up a panel of legal experts to look into the allegations of sexual harassment that have surfaced in the #MeToo campaign, minister Maneka Gandhi said on Friday, asserting that she believes in the “pain and trauma” of every complainant.

The committee will look into the legal and institutional framework in place for handling complaints of sexual harassment and advise the ministry on how to strengthen these, the minister said.

“These cases have been elephants in the rooms for the last 25 years. The question here is how can they prove these after all these years,” the Union minister said.

“The first thing to do is naming and shaming these monsters. Naming and shaming will go a long way in lessening the pain these women have been carrying,” the Union minister added.