The All India Radio (AIR) Trade Union employees have approached Prasar Bharati chief executive Shashi Shekhar Vemapati, seeking strict action against accused persons in connection with MeToo cases reported from various AIR stations. They also urged him to reinstate services of victims who raised their voice against sexual predators.
The move was taken after services of nine women casual broadcasters, stationed at the All India Radio's (AIR) Shahdol station in Madhya Pradesh, were terminated after they lodged complaints of sexual harassment against the station's assistant director (programming), Ratnakar Bharti.
The union alleged that those who complained against Bharti were terminated while the accused is enjoying his job at the Delhi AIR headquarters.
According to a Times of India report, Bharti was declared guilty by the Internal Complaint Committee of AIR last year. A police complaint was also lodged against him.
"Services of women being terminated at Shahdol station is an annual affair. The decision was taken after review of their work. It is not related to lodging complaint against Bharti," director general All India Radio, Fayyaz Shehryar was quoted as saying in the report.
Shehryar further said that every incident that has been reported has been probed by the Internal Complaints Committee. In the Shahdol instance, after the ICC verdict, Ratnakar Bharti was immediately put under the strictest vigilance watch at the DG headquarters.
AIR employees working in Dharamshala, Obra, Sagar, Rampur, Kurukshetra and Delhi stations have also raised similar complaints in the past.
Over the last few months, the #MeToo campaign has gained strength in India. Several celebrities joined the movement to shame those people, who had sexually harassed them in the past.
The movement gained pace in India started after former Miss India and Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar and Vivek Agnihotri of sexual harassment.
Suhel Seth, Vikas Bahl, Sajid Khan and Alok Nath are among the celebrities that have been accused of sexual abuse.
In the latest development, self-proclaimed critic, Kamaal R Khan aka KRK has removed all female employees who were working at his offices in India and Dubai due to #MeToo movement.
