'Justice Hema Committee Formed As Left Is In Power': Kerala CM Responds After HC Raps 'Inaction'

The Kerala government set up the Justice Hema Committee to investigate harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.

Vijayan invited both those who had provided statements to the Hema Committee and those who had not to file complaints with the police, assuring that all grievances would be thoroughly investigated.

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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday emphasised that no state government in India has intervened in the film industry as extensively as Kerala has, referring to the establishment of the Justice Hema Committee. He attributed the possibility of Justice Hema Committee in Kerala to the presence of the Left government in the state.

The statement of CM comes after Kerala HC on Tuesday questioned the "inaction" of the state government on the findings of the report. The HC also directed the complete unredacted report be handed over to the SIT.

Speaking at a public program, Vijayan invited both those who had provided statements to the Hema Committee and those who had not to file complaints with the police, assuring that all grievances would be thoroughly investigated, as reported by PTI. He underlined Kerala's proactive stance on women's safety, especially in light of the current national discourse on the subject, which has intensified following incidents such as the brutal rape and murder of a woman doctor in West Bengal.

The Chief Minister criticized the national environment around women’s safety, citing the release and subsequent celebration of the accused in the Bilkis Bano case by a right-wing group. "At a time when such circumstances prevail at the national level, Kerala is going ahead with precise policies to ensure the safety and security of women," the Chief Minister said, as per the report.

Justice Hema Committee In Kerala

The Kerala government set up the Justice Hema Committee to investigate harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry. Vijayan highlighted that Kerala remains the only state to have made such an intervention, emphasizing that the unique step was possible due to the Left government’s commitment to women's safety and rights.

"Only Kerala has made such an intervention. It is because the Left government is in power in the state," he said.

Other states with similarly robust or even superior film industries have not taken comparable action, Vijayan noted. However, the demand for committees similar to Kerala's Justice Hema Committee is growing across the country.

He also stated that Kerala has put in place a robust investigation system to address any such complaints, setting the state apart in its approach to women's safety.