Kerala govt to check sexual harassment of women staff

trivandrum — Kerala government on Thursday said it was ready to examine seriously a complaint of sexual harassment of women in the Excise Department. “We are not approaching the matter lightly”. The State Human Rights Commission itself had asked the Excise Commissioner to file a report on the matter within three days, Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan told the Assembly.

Whether the complaint was true or false has to be examined and without that it was not possible to come to a conclusion on the charges, he said.

The Congress-led UDF Opposition brought to the notice of the Assembly the complaint of sexual harassment in the excise department and wanted a probe by a senior woman IPS officer into the charges. Taking up the matter as a submission, opposition leader

We are not approaching the matter lightly.” T P Ramakrishnan, Excise minister

Ramesh Chennithala said an anonymous complaint has been received by the State Human Rights Commission and Kerala

Women’s Commission on different types of harassment.

Even sexual harassment of the women staff at the Excise Range Offices in the state has been mentioned, he said. It was also stated in the complaint that they (complainants) were afraid to disclose their names as they fear further intimidation from senior male colleagues, Chennithala said.

It was pointed out that only two or three women staff would be in the Range Offices. The male officers even used to call them at night in the pretext of going for raids. — PTI