Ask publishing houses to form internal probe panel, NCW urges I&B ministry Harassment stories anger me: Raveena Tandon on #Metoo
NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women has urged the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to direct print, publication and production houses houses to form internal committee to probe complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.
An NCW official said that in the past few days, the women rights body has received a number of complaints of sexual harassment at workplace against persons in both traditional print organisations as well as digital media.
“We have informed the Secretary of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that the NCW has received a number of such complaints,” the official said. He said the NCW has requested Secretary to issue directions to ensure that organisations such as printing/ publishing, production houses involved in Tv/film production put in place an effective mechanism for addressing such complaints including constituting Internal Committees in terms of the POSH Act, 2013, she said. The NCW said perpetrators of such crimes need to be punished as per law.
The NCW had recently said it had received written complaints from various women about sexual harassment at their workplace.
The commission had also created a dedicated email ID to receive such complaints and urged women who have come forward on social media and other platforms about their alleged harassers to send their formal written complaints to ncw.metoo@gmail.com.
Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has asked the National Commission for Women to expeditiously probe all complaints of sexual harassment received under the #Metoo movement. The #Metoo movement in India began with actor Tanushree Dutta accusing veteran actor Nana Patekar of harassing her during shooting of a film in 2008.
In the last few weeks, a number of journalists revealed through social media details of their harassment at workplace, starting a #metoo storm in India. Journalist-turnedpolitician M J Akbar had to resign as the minister of state for external affairs on Wednesday following a spate of complaints by her former woman colleagues that he allegedly harassed them during his tenure as editor of various media publications. MUMBAI: Supporting India’s #Metoo movement, Raveena Tandon says even though she has not been a victim of sexual harassment, the countless stories of ill-treatment of women anger her.
The 43-year-old actor said she has been through “professional harassment” in the film industry and hence understands the trauma.
“I was never sexually harassed as I was not the one to just take it. I would give it back. But I can imagine the trauma that the young girls go through. It is so sad and disheartening to hear these stories. It angers me.
“I have been through professional harassment. I did lose out on couple of films. There were few women journalists, who would tarnish our reputation in their magazines or newspapers. Like, from being called a liar to delusional liar, etc. They helped the heroes,” Raveena told PTI.
Talking about her harassment experience, the actor said it was a disturbing phase as her reputation was maligned.
“They work in tandem to ruin an actress’s life,” she added, without taking any names.
In a cryptic tweet, recently, Raveena had said, “What defines harassment in a workplace? The fact that many industry wives and girlfriends are silent observers or instigators, when actor husbands destroy the careers of actresses after the chase and flirtation is over or have them replaced with other potential targets.”
When asked about the same, the National Award-winning actor, said, “Sometimes it is women also who are complacent because of insecurity or professional jealousy and have got other actresses removed from a project using their hero boyfriend or husband. And this is not fair.
“It might not be sexual harassment but it is professional harassment. The clauses in the contracts need to be strong. If certain people have problem working with the actress then they should step away. Why ruin the girl’s career?”
Raveena said in the past, whenever female actors opened up about the issues they faced on a film’s set, they were branded “trouble makers”.
“...There used to be an entire camp that used to work against the women including the entertainment media, the editors used to be hand-in-glove with the hero or director or producer. They (media) were either offered a lot more money or a bigger cover.
“Women would have the entire system working against them. This happens not just in the film industry but other professions as well,” she said.
Raveena said she is happy that women are finally being heard and is hopeful that the moment will bring the much-needed change in gender dynamics. “We lost the opportunity. And it feels good that today women are getting support from everyone. It is a movement here to stay and I see it making a positive change in the workplace environment.
“Earlier there used to be an entire nexus, the producers guild and others would be scared to take action against the hero. Today action is being taken in the open.”