'I&B ministry asked PCI to direct print media to set up panel on sexual harassment complaints'

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has requested the Press Council of India to issue necessary directives to all print media, and also urged film production houses, to place an effective mechanism for addressing complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.

This was stated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore in a written reply in Lok Sabha to a question on the action taken by the ministry over the the National Commission for Women (NCW) requesting it to direct print, publication and production houses to form an internal panel to probe complaints of sexual harassment at workplace.

The NCW had in October urged the ministry to direct print, publication and production houses to form an internal committee to probe complaints of sexual harassment at workplace after the women rights body received a number of such complaints against persons in both traditional print organisations as well as digital media.

The NCW's move had come amid the '#MeToo' movement that began in India with actor Tanushree Dutta accusing veteran actor Nana Patekar of harassing her during shooting of a film in 2008.

The charge has been denied by Patekar.

To another question on whether the government has issued directives to social media platforms to establish mechanisms to remove illegal content, Rathore said: "The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology has informed that the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and the rules therein...mandate intermediary platforms, including social media sites, to establish a mechanism to remove illegal contents failing which they may lose their immunity and become liable for punishment.