What Is Hema Committee Report
After prolonged five years, Justice Hema Commission report to be made public today. On July 5, Kerala State Information Commission (SIC) ordered the Kerala government to release the report and instructed that no information should be withheld except what is prohibited under the RTI Act.
Justice Hema Commission was constituted to look into the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry. The commission was formulated after the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) members met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the 2017 actress assault incident. Helmed by retired Justice K Hema, veteran actor Sarada and former IAS officer KB Valsala Kumari were other two members of the commission.
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The committee submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 31, 2019. The Kerala government spent Rs 1.06 crore for this committee.
But the government has not released the report yet. The WCC, and other concerned individuals relied RTI queries probing the delay in the release, vague responses were given. Journalists have also approached the Right To Information Commission against this.
On February 24, 2022, Kerala Culture Minister Saji Cherian told the Legislative Assembly that the government not to publish the Hema Commission report since it included the personal testimonies of several women complainants.
In response to a submission moved by RMP MLA K K Rema, the minister said: “The report cannot be published as it is,” Onmanorama reports. But, the Minister highlighted that legislation to prevent the atrocities against women in the film industry was inevitable.
However, last month, the Cultural Affairs Department had handed over a copy of the Justice Hema Commission report to the SIC in a sealed cover. Though SIC demanded report’s copy earlier as well, Cultural Affairs Department repeatedly denied the request. After SIC demanded report by invoking its civil and judicial powers, the Department handed over the copy of the report.
Though actual reports span around 300 pages, a redacted version of the report, after omitting 83 pages, will be handed over.
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Even though the State Public Information Officer (SPIO) can reasonably sever and disseminate the information due to larger public interest, the SIC listed that para 96 of page 49, para 165 to 196 of pages 81 to 100, and appendix should be excluded from the disclosure. Besides, it asked the SPIO to file a compliance report by July 26.
Meanwhile, the Malayalam film producer Sajimon Parayil has approached the High Court against the release of the Hema Committee report. The privacy of the individuals in the film industry would be violated with the report’s release, the petitioner stated. The release of the report must be stayed, Parayil added that it might even endanger those who share the information on the film industry.
