Kochi: Mathrubhumi News has obtained new documents through the Right to Information (RTI) Act that raise questions about the government's reason for not acting on the Hema Committee report. Previously, the government said it couldn't take action because witness statements were missing. However, the newly released documents indicate otherwise.
Former Culture Minister A K Balan claimed that the government couldn't act due to lack of witness statements. However, when the culture department was asked if it had a copy of the report's findings, it confirmed it possess it, contradicting Balan's statement.
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The RTI documents reveal that around 400 pages of statements and evidence related to the Hema Committee report have not been released. A. K. Balan had claimed that the Commission did not provide these documents to the government, but this claim has been refuted by the RTI response.
When asked if the Hema Committee submitted complete statements and documents upon delivering the report, the culture department responded affirmatively. The report was submitted to the government during the first Pinarayi Vijayan administration, with A. K. Balan receiving it alongside the Chief Minister.
Hema Committee report shared with police
The RTI inquiry also included whether the Hema Committee report and its related documents had ever been shared with the police. The answer was yes. According to the RTI documents, in July 2021, the report was handed over as a confidential document to the State Police Chief, following a request from the State Women’s Commission.
The police previously stated that they could not take action due to insufficient details in the report. The RTI documents clarify that the government provided only the report to the police. The reply also states that the related documents were handed over to the DGP only after the High Court intervened.
With this new information coming to light, questions are being raised about why the government remained silent on the report for four years. This issue also echoed in court discussions as well.
Published: 05 Oct 2024, 08:25 am IST
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