Sexual harassment in AIR: Maneka writes to I&B minister

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has written a letter to Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore over reports of women working as casual announcers in All India Radio (AIR) being allegedly sexually harassed.

Seeking an inquiry into the matter, Maneka asked Rathore to ensure that a sensitive and fair system is put in place to address any such grievances in AIR.

"I am enclosing a copy of a news item where it has been reported that women working as casual announcers in All India Radio are being sexually harassed. The news item indicates that this problem (exists) at different stations of AIR. The details of the complaints are such that I am compelled to refer them to you for an inquiry," she said in the letter.

She further said that a responsible organisation must provide justice to each and every woman if she complains of sexual harassment.

"I would like to submit that the Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act is equally applicable to a woman employee irrespective of her being a permanent, temporary or casual employee. Some of these women had complained to the appropriate authorities but no action seems to have been taken. I understand that an organisation would have a natural tendency to dismiss a casual woman employee the moment she reports sexual harassment. But this is not good," the minister added.