sexual-harassment

By SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL

MeToo list of charges of sexual harassment against some prominent personalities even including a present Union Minister in earlier past growing after Tanushree Dutta levelled charges of sexual harassment against film-actor Nana Patekar.

It cannot be denied that working-women usually face sexual harassment by their bosses. There can be some women of dubious character which may be used for levelling such charges by opponents of those against whom charges of sexual harassment are levelled.

It is also a bitter reality that women generally do not have courage to file complaints also because of fear of loss of their own reputation, MeToo campaign has given courage to open mouth though too late. There is a glorious example of an US President who openly confessed his mistake of sexual-charges levelled by a woman-employee.

There have also been two known cases of such charges levelled by legal-interns against judges of Supreme Court, where enquiry-report never came in public even though such charges were levelled not too late. One of the highly influential judge even managed ban on media-reporting of the case by presenting dozens of lawyers to defend him at the court. Chief Justice of India should take initiative for making open enquiry against the judges, since retired.

Considering sensitivity and seriousness of the matter, Supreme Court and central government should fix some date whereby women may file complaints of past. Thereafter such charges may be considered only in time-bound period of alleged sexual harassment.