Activists registered Protest against J&K Health Dept molestation case
in four major cities.
Saahil Suhail
Srinagar, July 9: Against Jammu Kashmir health department's the nurse molestation case, Students, activists, nurses and other youth forums today held protest demonstration at four major cities including inNational capital-New Delhi.
Reports said that rights activists and nurses held strong protest demonstration against the lapses in J&K Health Department molestation case and increasing harassment of women at workplaces. Protests demos were held at Nirman Bhawan Delhi, Dadar Station (Bombay) Mumbai, Thrissur Kerala and at Sri Pratap Park Srinagar.
Raising slogans against Jammu and Kashmir health department, Protesters said that in spite of punishing the accused- Director Health Dr Salim-ul-Rehman state government promoted him.
"It is ironic that the director who is accused of molesting a nurse was promoted on the same day." Protester said.
In Mumbai, New Delhi and Kerala rights activits told that they are
witnessed increasing instances of sexual violence against women in
Kashmir, especially by close acquaintances such as teachers, employers
and relatives.
They said that they have also witnessed blatant violations of the rule
of law, flouting of legal procedures, denial of justice and character
assassination of complainants with an intent to subvert justice. The
most glaring example of this is the case of a nurse employed in J&K
Health Department who complained of serial harassment over years by
several health department officials.
Under media pressure, an illegally constituted one-man committee
called the complainant for "investigation" but her statements were not
recorded. The committee was in complete violation of Supreme Court
guidelines which require that the committee should be headed by a
woman, at least half of the members should be women and that an
external member who has understanding of these issues should be on the
committee. When the illegal, one-man committee gave a "clean chit" to
the Director, the J&K Health Minister, Taj Mohiuddin said, on record,
that, from day one he knew that the Director Health was innocent. This
statement is nothing but a blatant admission of bias.
Furthermore, on the 18th of June, 2014 when the so-called "enquiry"
was still underway, the accused Director who had been an Assistant
Director till then was promoted to the post of Deputy Director; (he
continued to hold the post of 'Incharge Director', as earlier).
Interestingly, the person who issued the order is none other than the
person who headed the one-man enquiry committee! Under such
circumstances, can it really be said that the departmental enquiry was
fair?
To top it all, there is a case of perjury (Sec 182 RPC) against the
complainant. The same police which displayed extraordinary reluctance
in giving her case a fair treatment is now displaying extraordinary
zeal in prosecuting her for having made a complaint!
Protesters demanded a committee under Vishakha guidelines should be
constituted and a fresh, High Court monitored probe should be
initiated in the J&K Health Dept case.
They also demanded Workplace anti sexual harassment committees in
Jammu and Kashmir and State Women's Commission should overlook the
formation of the same within a reasonable time frame
in four major cities.
Saahil Suhail
Srinagar, July 9: Against Jammu Kashmir health department's the nurse molestation case, Students, activists, nurses and other youth forums today held protest demonstration at four major cities including inNational capital-New Delhi.
Reports said that rights activists and nurses held strong protest demonstration against the lapses in J&K Health Department molestation case and increasing harassment of women at workplaces. Protests demos were held at Nirman Bhawan Delhi, Dadar Station (Bombay) Mumbai, Thrissur Kerala and at Sri Pratap Park Srinagar.
Raising slogans against Jammu and Kashmir health department, Protesters said that in spite of punishing the accused- Director Health Dr Salim-ul-Rehman state government promoted him.
"It is ironic that the director who is accused of molesting a nurse was promoted on the same day." Protester said.
In Mumbai, New Delhi and Kerala rights activits told that they are
witnessed increasing instances of sexual violence against women in
Kashmir, especially by close acquaintances such as teachers, employers
and relatives.
They said that they have also witnessed blatant violations of the rule
of law, flouting of legal procedures, denial of justice and character
assassination of complainants with an intent to subvert justice. The
most glaring example of this is the case of a nurse employed in J&K
Health Department who complained of serial harassment over years by
several health department officials.
Under media pressure, an illegally constituted one-man committee
called the complainant for "investigation" but her statements were not
recorded. The committee was in complete violation of Supreme Court
guidelines which require that the committee should be headed by a
woman, at least half of the members should be women and that an
external member who has understanding of these issues should be on the
committee. When the illegal, one-man committee gave a "clean chit" to
the Director, the J&K Health Minister, Taj Mohiuddin said, on record,
that, from day one he knew that the Director Health was innocent. This
statement is nothing but a blatant admission of bias.
Furthermore, on the 18th of June, 2014 when the so-called "enquiry"
was still underway, the accused Director who had been an Assistant
Director till then was promoted to the post of Deputy Director; (he
continued to hold the post of 'Incharge Director', as earlier).
Interestingly, the person who issued the order is none other than the
person who headed the one-man enquiry committee! Under such
circumstances, can it really be said that the departmental enquiry was
fair?
To top it all, there is a case of perjury (Sec 182 RPC) against the
complainant. The same police which displayed extraordinary reluctance
in giving her case a fair treatment is now displaying extraordinary
zeal in prosecuting her for having made a complaint!
Protesters demanded a committee under Vishakha guidelines should be
constituted and a fresh, High Court monitored probe should be
initiated in the J&K Health Dept case.
They also demanded Workplace anti sexual harassment committees in
Jammu and Kashmir and State Women's Commission should overlook the
formation of the same within a reasonable time frame
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