Kerala High Court asks state government to submit Hema Committee report in sealed cover

The court asked the government its next course of action based on the report submitted by the Hema Committee. The government lawyer submitted that it is not possible to register a case unless someone files a complaint.

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the state government to submit to it in a sealed cover the Hema Committee report on atrocities against women in the Malayalam film industry.

Considering a public interest litigation seeking criminal action on the basis of the Hema committee report, a division bench of the Kerala High Court observed that in case any criminal offences were disclosed in the report, the court would have to take a decision on whether to take further action on it or not.

State advocate general K Gopalakrishna Kurup reiterated the state government's view that in case of a specific complaint by any of the women who deposed before the committee, the government will act upon it.

The court also asked the government to file a statement on its views on the matter. The full report will have to be submitted in sealed cover.

Meanwhile, the state government's plans to hold a conclave of the film and TV industry in November to discuss the issues, is facing flak.

Actor Parvathy Thiruvothu, who is a member of the Women in Cinema Collective, questioned the logic of discussing the issues at a venue where both the victims and the perpetrators of the harassment would be present. She also criticised the government's stand that the victims should file specific complaints for further action.

Congress said that the proposed conclave would be strongly resisted as it could be considered only as a move against the women who faced harassment.

As prominent industry bodies like the Association of Malayalam Movies Artists (AMMA) are yet to comment on the Hema committee report, filmmaker Lijo Jose Pellissery and film producer Sandra Thomas questioned the silence of these associations.

The adverse remarks in the Hema committee report that the president of Association of Television Media Artists (ATMA) was part of a lobby in the film industry has put transport minister Ganesh Kumar, who is also the state president of the association, in a tight spot.

Earlier there were reports that Kumar, who was sworn in as minister last December, had sought the cinema portfolio, but the government denied it.