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Panel of legal experts to look into issues coming out from #MeToo movement

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Panel of legal experts to look into issues coming out from #MeToo movement

The government will establish a committee of senior judicial and legal persons to examine the flood of sexual harassment complaints as the #MeToo movement picked up in India.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said on Friday, October 12, that the committee will include four retired judges and a ”strong lawyer as an amicus” and will “conduct independent hearings”.

The committee will look into the “legal & institutional framework which is in place for handling complaints” of sexual harassment at work, including some of the complaints if required, and “advise” the WCD ministry “on how to strengthen these frameworks,” said the WCD Ministry in a tweet.

The move comes in the midst of a surge of instances of more and more women going public with their experiences of sexual harassment at the hands of filmmakers, journalists, corporate bosses and, among others, Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar.

Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, demanding MoS MJ Akbar’s resignation after several women came out accusing him of sexual harassment, and even molestation, when he was an editor, stating that “such person must not remain on important position”.

Maliwal said that Akbar “must be expelled from the government immediately and investigation should be conducted” and urged the Prime Minister to “make an inquiry committee to deal with all complaints related to #MeToo campaign so that justice can be delivered to aggrieved women”.

Some are of the view that the government’s move is to control damage. Lawyer and women’s rights activist Vrinda Grover was reported as saying that “If the government is serious, first let them ask the minister of state MJ Akbar to step down.”

“We also know that committees of this kind are often constituted so that the government can control and channelize the conversation, which clearly is now challenging very powerful men,” she said.

Maneka Gandhi said in a tweet: “I believe in the pain and trauma behind every single complaint. Cases of #sexualharassmentatwork must be dealt with a policy of zero tolerance.”

In an interview to Doordarshan News, Gandhi said that “for many years” there was a burden on women, that even if they were “humiliated” verbally or by touch, “the woman never used to speak up, even if she was 80 years old”. But now, they have “found the strength”.

The committee, she said, will include four retired judges and a ”strong lawyer as an amicus” and will “conduct independent hearings”.

The public hearings will not be for individual complaints, but where stakeholders can come and depose before the committee if they wish to, a process similar to the one followed by the Justice Verma Committee that was set up to reform the laws against rape after the December 16, 2012 gangrape incident that jolted the nation and led to a public outcry over women safety.

In another statement issued Friday, Gandhi said that she wants workplaces to be made “more conducive to women employees”, Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) to be set up, as required by law, “more functional trustworthy systems to be put in place” and compliance reported in the public domain. She said that investigation into the complaints should be carried out “swiftly in a free and fair manner”.

Her ministry, she said, follows a “zero tolerance policy” towards sexual harassment of women at work places. The institutional framework as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013 has been put in place, she said, “to ensure harassment-free workplaces covering all women” of all ages, whether in full-time and part-time, public and private sector, organised or unorganised sectors and includes domestic workers, students, apprentices and even women visiting offices.

Apart from the ICC, she said, additional mechanisms, like a dedicated ‘She-Box” portal can be put in place which can be used by women to report grievances. Women can also write to her Ministry or tweet to it using #HelpMeWCD hashtag, and it will take it up with the authorities concerned, she said.

She urged women from all sectors to “come out fearlessly and report cases of any form of sexual harassment” and said, “we shall ensure all possible assistance”.

On Thursday, Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Irani had joined the voices against sexual harassment and said that women are taking a “big risk” by speaking out and should not be judged. On the allegations against Akbar, Irani said it is for the “gentleman himself” to respond.

She said, “do not judge those who are speaking out right now. They are mothers, daughters and wives. They are taking a big risk and it must be very difficult for them to speak out”. She said women do not go to work “to be pawed, you do not come to work to be flirted with, you do not come to work to adjust”. Women, she said go to work to make a living and “live a dream”.

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India hits back at Shehbaz Sharif at UN, says terror will have consequences

India hit back at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s UN speech, with New Delhi warning that terrorism will have consequences.

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India has responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks at the United Nations, delivering a strong message on terrorism and warning that such actions will have consequences.

The response came after Mr Sharif addressed the UN and raised issues concerning India and Pakistan. New Delhi rejected the narrative presented by the Pakistani prime minister and highlighted the issue of terrorism.

India’s message was delivered by Petal Gehlot, who represented New Delhi in the response to Pakistan.

India warns Pakistan over terrorism

India’s response focused on Pakistan’s record and its approach towards terrorism. New Delhi made clear that terrorism cannot be separated from its consequences and that those responsible cannot expect such actions to go unanswered.

The Indian side also pushed back against the claims and allegations made by Mr Sharif during his UN speech.

The exchange comes amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, with terrorism remaining a major point of disagreement between the two countries.

Shehbaz Sharif’s UN remarks

In his address, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke about India-Pakistan relations and raised several issues concerning New Delhi.

India subsequently exercised its right of reply to respond to Pakistan’s statements at the United Nations.

New Delhi’s response underlined its position that terrorism remains a serious issue in the relationship and that there would be consequences for terrorist actions.

The latest exchange at the UN adds to the continuing diplomatic confrontation between the two neighbouring countries.

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India News

Veeramani POCSO case: Vijay questions Stalin over earlier probe

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has questioned MK Stalin over the handling of the Veeramani POCSO case, while Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected anyone.

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Actor Vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay has questioned DMK president MK Stalin over the handling of the POCSO case involving Gem Granites founder R Veeramani. The political exchange follows renewed investigation into allegations involving minor girls.

Vijay’s remarks came as the ruling TVK stepped up its questions about how the case was handled during the previous DMK government. The party’s IT wing has alleged that the earlier investigation was weakened and questioned why a final report was filed.

The allegations have been rejected by the DMK. Stalin has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to protect anyone in the case and has called the allegations false and defamatory.

What did Vijay say about the Veeramani case?

Vijay questioned Stalin over the handling of the case and demanded an explanation from the former chief minister.

The TVK has specifically questioned why action was not taken against Veeramani during the previous administration and why the earlier investigation resulted in a closure report.

The party has also raised questions about the role of officials involved in the earlier investigation. These are political allegations made by the TVK and have not been established as facts.

What is the Veeramani POCSO case?

The case concerns allegations of sexual abuse of minors involving R Veeramani, the founder of Gem Granites.

The case came under renewed scrutiny after a special POCSO court rejected an earlier closure report and ordered further investigation. The expanded probe has subsequently identified additional alleged survivors who were minors at the time of the alleged offences, according to current reporting.

The investigation is also examining the circumstances surrounding the earlier probe and whether there were any lapses in how the case was handled.

What has MK Stalin said?

Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected Veeramani.

He has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to shield anyone in the case. Stalin has also said that everyone responsible for the alleged offences, including anyone who aided or attempted to protect the accused, should face the law.

The DMK president has further said that the focus should remain on securing justice for the affected girls rather than making political allegations.

Why has the case become a political issue?

The Veeramani case has become the subject of a political dispute between the ruling TVK and the DMK over the handling of the earlier investigation.

The TVK is questioning the previous government’s handling of the case, while the DMK has denied that it intervened to protect the accused.

At this stage, claims about political interference or deliberate weakening of the earlier investigation should be treated as allegations unless established by the ongoing investigation or judicial proceedings.

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India News

Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan’s acquittal in sexual harassment case

Four women wrestlers have challenged the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.

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Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Four women wrestlers have approached a Delhi court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The wrestlers have also challenged the acquittal of co-accused Vinod Tomar. The matter is scheduled to be heard by a Special Judge at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

The appeal challenges the order passed by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 3, 2026, when Brij Bhushan and Tomar were acquitted in the case.

Wrestlers challenge court’s reasoning

In their appeal, the wrestlers have argued that the acquittal order is legally unsustainable and that the evidence was not assessed appropriately.

They have also alleged that the order relied on assumptions about how victims of sexual assault and harassment were expected to behave instead of assessing the evidence and circumstances of the complainants.

The challenge seeks judicial scrutiny of the findings that resulted in the acquittal of Brij Bhushan and Tomar.

Brij Bhushan was acquitted in August

The Rouse Avenue court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on August 3 in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers. The court’s decision followed consideration of the evidence and statements presented during the proceedings.

The case had emerged after several women wrestlers accused the former WFI chief of sexual harassment. The allegations had led to a major protest by wrestlers in 2023.

The latest appeal means the acquittal is now being challenged before a higher court.

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