News Analysis India

Tag: DCW

  • Was sexually assaulted by father when I was a child: DCW chief Swati Maliwal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Saturday said she was sexually assaulted by her father in her childhood and the trauma led her to fight for the rights of women.

    Speaking to reporters after the DCW International Women’s Day Awards ceremony here, Maliwal said she faced abuse till the time she was in Class 4.

    “I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. I was very small at that time. My father used to beat me up and I used to hide under the bed to save myself,” she said.

    “While hiding under the bed, I used to think how I will teach a lesson to such men who abuse women and children, and how I can help women get their rights,” she said.

    Narrating her ordeal, Maliwal said that her father would grab her by her braid and slam her against the wall, leading to severe bleeding.

    “This happened till I was in Class 4,” she recalled.

    Recently, actor and National Commission for Women (NCW) member Khushbu Sundar said she was sexually abused by her father at the age of 8.

    ALSO WATCH |

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Saturday said she was sexually assaulted by her father in her childhood and the trauma led her to fight for the rights of women.

    Speaking to reporters after the DCW International Women’s Day Awards ceremony here, Maliwal said she faced abuse till the time she was in Class 4.

    “I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. I was very small at that time. My father used to beat me up and I used to hide under the bed to save myself,” she said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “While hiding under the bed, I used to think how I will teach a lesson to such men who abuse women and children, and how I can help women get their rights,” she said.

    Narrating her ordeal, Maliwal said that her father would grab her by her braid and slam her against the wall, leading to severe bleeding.

    “This happened till I was in Class 4,” she recalled.

    Recently, actor and National Commission for Women (NCW) member Khushbu Sundar said she was sexually abused by her father at the age of 8.

    ALSO WATCH |

  • DCW chief gets rape threats after demanding removal of Sajid Khan from Big Boss

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday said she has been receiving rape threats on social media after she wrote to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur to remove filmmaker Sajid Khan out of Bigg Boss over allegations of sexual harassment against him.

    She also asked Delhi Police to arrest the people who allegedly gave her rape threats. 

    “Ever since I wrote a letter to the I&B minister to get #SajidKhan out of Bigg Boss, I have been receiving rape threats on Instagram. Obviously, they want to stop our work. I am giving a complaint to Delhi Police. Register FIR and investigate. Arrest those who are behind them,” she tweeted.

    जब से #SajidKhan को Big Boss से बाहर करने के लिए I&B मंत्री को चिट्ठी लिखी है, तबसे मुझे इंस्टाग्राम पर रेप की धमकी दी जा रही है। ज़ाहिर है ये हमारा काम रोकना चाहते हैं। दिल्ली पुलिस को शिकायत दे रही हूं। FIR दर्ज करें और जाँच करें। जो लोग भी इनके पीछे है उनको अरेस्ट करें! pic.twitter.com/8YBq5oJ5TV
    — Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) October 12, 2022
    Earlier on Monday the DCW chief took to her Twitter account and said that the numerous complaints against Sajid Khan show his ‘disgusting mentality.

    “Ten women had accused Sajid Khan of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement. All these complaints show the disgusting mentality of Sajid. Now, this man has been given a place in Bigg Boss, which is wrong. I have written to @ianuragthakur to have Sajid Khan removed from this show,” she tweeted.

    Filmmaker Sajid Khan’s participation in the new season of Bigg Boss 16 started on October 1 has led to a lot of anger among people.

    Sajid was mired in the #MeToo controversy in 2018 after nine women from the industry – who worked with Khan on his various projects – had accused the filmmaker of sexually harassing them. Actresses like Saloni Chopra, Sherlyn Chopra, Aahana Kumra and Mandana Karimi, among others, had allegedly levelled the allegations against him.

    Colors TV’s decision to bring Sajid to the Bigg Boss house is being criticised by many including singer Sona Mohapatra who claimed that she faced harassment at the hands of music composer Anu Malik.

    In an Instagram post, Sona requested filmmaker Farhan Akhtar to raise his voice against Sajid’s participation in the reality show.

    “This is #SajidKhan, now on a reality TV show. Then there is #AnuMalik judging a music reality show on TV, for children no less. #KailashKher? Celebrity Judge on TV. ALL called out by many many women in @IndiaMeToo. Indian TV channels, executives are indeed depraved & sad lot,” she wrote.

    In another tweet, she requested Farhan Akhtar, “Dear @FarOutAkhtar, you front an organisation called MARD. This man & the many others are known to you personally. Speak up, Stand Up only when it’s convenient or pays to virtue signal for ‘our cause’ not now? Charity begins at home.”

    After facing the allegations, Sajid decided to take a ‘moral responsibility of stepping down’ from his directorial post at ‘Houseful 4’. The directorial responsibilities were handed over to filmmaker Farhad Samji. He also said that he decided because ‘pressure’ was being put on his family. 

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday said she has been receiving rape threats on social media after she wrote to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur to remove filmmaker Sajid Khan out of Bigg Boss over allegations of sexual harassment against him.

    She also asked Delhi Police to arrest the people who allegedly gave her rape threats. 

    “Ever since I wrote a letter to the I&B minister to get #SajidKhan out of Bigg Boss, I have been receiving rape threats on Instagram. Obviously, they want to stop our work. I am giving a complaint to Delhi Police. Register FIR and investigate. Arrest those who are behind them,” she tweeted.

    जब से #SajidKhan को Big Boss से बाहर करने के लिए I&B मंत्री को चिट्ठी लिखी है, तबसे मुझे इंस्टाग्राम पर रेप की धमकी दी जा रही है। ज़ाहिर है ये हमारा काम रोकना चाहते हैं। दिल्ली पुलिस को शिकायत दे रही हूं। FIR दर्ज करें और जाँच करें। जो लोग भी इनके पीछे है उनको अरेस्ट करें! pic.twitter.com/8YBq5oJ5TV
    — Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) October 12, 2022
    Earlier on Monday the DCW chief took to her Twitter account and said that the numerous complaints against Sajid Khan show his ‘disgusting mentality.

    “Ten women had accused Sajid Khan of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement. All these complaints show the disgusting mentality of Sajid. Now, this man has been given a place in Bigg Boss, which is wrong. I have written to @ianuragthakur to have Sajid Khan removed from this show,” she tweeted.

    Filmmaker Sajid Khan’s participation in the new season of Bigg Boss 16 started on October 1 has led to a lot of anger among people.

    Sajid was mired in the #MeToo controversy in 2018 after nine women from the industry – who worked with Khan on his various projects – had accused the filmmaker of sexually harassing them. Actresses like Saloni Chopra, Sherlyn Chopra, Aahana Kumra and Mandana Karimi, among others, had allegedly levelled the allegations against him.

    Colors TV’s decision to bring Sajid to the Bigg Boss house is being criticised by many including singer Sona Mohapatra who claimed that she faced harassment at the hands of music composer Anu Malik.

    In an Instagram post, Sona requested filmmaker Farhan Akhtar to raise his voice against Sajid’s participation in the reality show.

    “This is #SajidKhan, now on a reality TV show. Then there is #AnuMalik judging a music reality show on TV, for children no less. #KailashKher? Celebrity Judge on TV. ALL called out by many many women in @IndiaMeToo. Indian TV channels, executives are indeed depraved & sad lot,” she wrote.

    In another tweet, she requested Farhan Akhtar, “Dear @FarOutAkhtar, you front an organisation called MARD. This man & the many others are known to you personally. Speak up, Stand Up only when it’s convenient or pays to virtue signal for ‘our cause’ not now? Charity begins at home.”

    After facing the allegations, Sajid decided to take a ‘moral responsibility of stepping down’ from his directorial post at ‘Houseful 4’. The directorial responsibilities were handed over to filmmaker Farhad Samji. He also said that he decided because ‘pressure’ was being put on his family. 

  • Minor girl gang-raped by seniors in school washroom in Delhi; DCW issues notice to school and police

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: An 11-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped by two seniors inside the washroom of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in the national capital following which a case has been registered, police officials said on Thursday.

    The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan’s regional office has also ordered an enquiry into the issue.

    The alleged incident had taken place in July but the victim approached the police on Tuesday only after the matter was highlighted by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

    The DCW, which termed the incident as a “serious matter”, issued a notice to Delhi Police and the school principal on the issue.

    The school authorities have been asked to inform why the incident was allegedly not reported to the police by them.

    Officials of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) maintained that the incident was not reported to the school principal by the victim or her parents and has only come to light following police investigation.

    KVS is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education and it oversees over 1,200 KVs that are spread across 25 regions in the country.

    According to the police, the victim filed a complaint on Tuesday and immediately a case was registered.

    DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said, “We have received a very serious case of gang-rape with an 11-year-old student inside a school in Delhi. The girl has alleged that her school teacher tried to hush up the matter. It is very unfortunate that even schools are unsafe for children in the capital,”

    She demanded strict action in the matter.

    “Also an enquiry into the role of school authorities must be conducted on the issue,” Maliwal added.

    According to the Commission, the minor alleged that in July while she was going to her classroom, she collided with two boys from her school studying in Class 11 and 12.

    “She said that she apologised to the boys but they started abusing her and took her inside a toilet. She alleged that the boys locked the toilet door from inside and raped her. She stated that when she informed the incident to a teacher, she was told that the boys have been expelled and the matter was allegedly hushed up,” a DCW statement said.

    KVS officials said no complaint regarding the matter was received by the school authorities.

    “The regional office of KVS is investigating the issue. The incident was not reported to the principal by the girl or her parents. The issue was also not raised at a parent-teacher meeting held after the incident,” a senior KVS official said.

    “The issue has come to our notice only through police investigation. We are cooperating with Delhi Police in its proceedings,” the official added.

    The police officials said that a detailed investigation is underway.

    Based on the statement of the victim, the teaching staff and suspected students are being interrogated, police said. The DCW sought from the police an action-taken report on the incident.

    “The Commission has asked the school principal to inform as to when did the school authorities learn about the matter and what action was taken by them. It has also asked the school to furnish a copy of enquiry report conducted in the matter,” the panel said.

    “The Commission has also asked Delhi Police and the school to provide information of action taken against the school teacher and/or any other staff for allegedly not reporting the matter to Delhi Police,” it added.

    NEW DELHI: An 11-year-old student was allegedly gang-raped by two seniors inside the washroom of a Kendriya Vidyalaya in the national capital following which a case has been registered, police officials said on Thursday.

    The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan’s regional office has also ordered an enquiry into the issue.

    The alleged incident had taken place in July but the victim approached the police on Tuesday only after the matter was highlighted by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

    The DCW, which termed the incident as a “serious matter”, issued a notice to Delhi Police and the school principal on the issue.

    The school authorities have been asked to inform why the incident was allegedly not reported to the police by them.

    Officials of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) maintained that the incident was not reported to the school principal by the victim or her parents and has only come to light following police investigation.

    KVS is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education and it oversees over 1,200 KVs that are spread across 25 regions in the country.

    According to the police, the victim filed a complaint on Tuesday and immediately a case was registered.

    DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said, “We have received a very serious case of gang-rape with an 11-year-old student inside a school in Delhi. The girl has alleged that her school teacher tried to hush up the matter. It is very unfortunate that even schools are unsafe for children in the capital,”

    She demanded strict action in the matter.

    “Also an enquiry into the role of school authorities must be conducted on the issue,” Maliwal added.

    According to the Commission, the minor alleged that in July while she was going to her classroom, she collided with two boys from her school studying in Class 11 and 12.

    “She said that she apologised to the boys but they started abusing her and took her inside a toilet. She alleged that the boys locked the toilet door from inside and raped her. She stated that when she informed the incident to a teacher, she was told that the boys have been expelled and the matter was allegedly hushed up,” a DCW statement said.

    KVS officials said no complaint regarding the matter was received by the school authorities.

    “The regional office of KVS is investigating the issue. The incident was not reported to the principal by the girl or her parents. The issue was also not raised at a parent-teacher meeting held after the incident,” a senior KVS official said.

    “The issue has come to our notice only through police investigation. We are cooperating with Delhi Police in its proceedings,” the official added.

    The police officials said that a detailed investigation is underway.

    Based on the statement of the victim, the teaching staff and suspected students are being interrogated, police said. The DCW sought from the police an action-taken report on the incident.

    “The Commission has asked the school principal to inform as to when did the school authorities learn about the matter and what action was taken by them. It has also asked the school to furnish a copy of enquiry report conducted in the matter,” the panel said.

    “The Commission has also asked Delhi Police and the school to provide information of action taken against the school teacher and/or any other staff for allegedly not reporting the matter to Delhi Police,” it added.

  • DCW issues summonses to Twitter, Delhi Police over ‘child pornography’ videos on website 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has issued summonses to Twitter and the city police over the alleged availability of child pornography videos on the microblogging website.

    Twitter and the Delhi Police have been given time till September 26 to respond to the summonses. There was no immediate reaction from the website and the police.

    “The Chandigarh University incident set me thinking and I asked my team to investigate. We found videos of minor girls on Twitter in which they were seen being raped. Some of the platforms were even selling these videos for Rs 20 to Rs 30.

    This is horrific,” DCW chief Swati Maliwal told reporters here.

    Protests rocked the Chandigarh University campus in Punjab’s Mohali on Saturday night over allegations that objectionable videos of several female students were recorded by a hosteller, following which Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a probe.

    The panel has summoned the Twitter India policy head and the Delhi Police over tweets depicting child pornography and rape of women and girls.

    The commission took suo motu cognisance of several tweets with videos and photographs of sexual acts involving minors.

    According to the DCW, most of the tweets showed naked children and many of those also depicted incidents of rape and other non-consensual sexual activities with children and women.

    “Shockingly, some of these videos even depicted rape with children and women while they were asleep.

    Some of the Twitter accounts engaging in these criminal acts appear to be running a racket, wherein they seek money for providing pornographic and rape videos of children from other users of the social media platform.

    The commission has shared a list of such tweets with the Delhi Police and Twitter,” the panel said.

    In the summons issued to Twitter, the commission has said it is “deeply distressed” that such “illegal” acts involving sexual abuse of children and young women are being publicised through the website.

    The commission has summoned the Twitter official in order to ascertain the steps being taken by the website to prevent such content as well as the systems in place to immediately report the same to law enforcement agencies.

    The DCW has also asked the platform to provide reasons as to why the tweets were neither deleted nor reported by it.

    “The commission has also sought data regarding the number of such tweets presently available on Twitter.

    Further, it has sought the number of tweets depicting child pornography and rape identified, deleted and reported by Twitter in the past four years,” the panel said.

    The DCW has also asked Twitter about the standard operating procedure (SOP) related to deleting and reporting such content followed by the platform.

    It has tried to ascertain whether artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools are used by Twitter to automatically identify and delete tweets depicting abuse against women and children.

    In the summons to the Delhi police, the panel has sought an FIR in the matter.

    It has recommended that the children and women visible in the pornographic and rape videos be identified and assisted.

    The Delhi Police has also been asked to provide the number of similar tweets reported by Twitter in the past and whether FIRs were registered in connection with those and the accused arrested.

    The police have also been asked to inform about the steps taken by them to ensure that no such videos depicting child pornography or rape are present on Twitter.

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has issued summonses to Twitter and the city police over the alleged availability of child pornography videos on the microblogging website.

    Twitter and the Delhi Police have been given time till September 26 to respond to the summonses. There was no immediate reaction from the website and the police.

    “The Chandigarh University incident set me thinking and I asked my team to investigate. We found videos of minor girls on Twitter in which they were seen being raped. Some of the platforms were even selling these videos for Rs 20 to Rs 30.

    This is horrific,” DCW chief Swati Maliwal told reporters here.

    Protests rocked the Chandigarh University campus in Punjab’s Mohali on Saturday night over allegations that objectionable videos of several female students were recorded by a hosteller, following which Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a probe.

    The panel has summoned the Twitter India policy head and the Delhi Police over tweets depicting child pornography and rape of women and girls.

    The commission took suo motu cognisance of several tweets with videos and photographs of sexual acts involving minors.

    According to the DCW, most of the tweets showed naked children and many of those also depicted incidents of rape and other non-consensual sexual activities with children and women.

    “Shockingly, some of these videos even depicted rape with children and women while they were asleep.

    Some of the Twitter accounts engaging in these criminal acts appear to be running a racket, wherein they seek money for providing pornographic and rape videos of children from other users of the social media platform.

    The commission has shared a list of such tweets with the Delhi Police and Twitter,” the panel said.

    In the summons issued to Twitter, the commission has said it is “deeply distressed” that such “illegal” acts involving sexual abuse of children and young women are being publicised through the website.

    The commission has summoned the Twitter official in order to ascertain the steps being taken by the website to prevent such content as well as the systems in place to immediately report the same to law enforcement agencies.

    The DCW has also asked the platform to provide reasons as to why the tweets were neither deleted nor reported by it.

    “The commission has also sought data regarding the number of such tweets presently available on Twitter.

    Further, it has sought the number of tweets depicting child pornography and rape identified, deleted and reported by Twitter in the past four years,” the panel said.

    The DCW has also asked Twitter about the standard operating procedure (SOP) related to deleting and reporting such content followed by the platform.

    It has tried to ascertain whether artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools are used by Twitter to automatically identify and delete tweets depicting abuse against women and children.

    In the summons to the Delhi police, the panel has sought an FIR in the matter.

    It has recommended that the children and women visible in the pornographic and rape videos be identified and assisted.

    The Delhi Police has also been asked to provide the number of similar tweets reported by Twitter in the past and whether FIRs were registered in connection with those and the accused arrested.

    The police have also been asked to inform about the steps taken by them to ensure that no such videos depicting child pornography or rape are present on Twitter.

  • Delhi women’s commission issues notice to Indian Bank for terming pregnant women ‘unfit’ for joining

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission For Women has issued a notice to the Indian Bank seeking withdrawal of its new recruitment guidelines which prevents a woman, who is three or more months pregnant, from joining service.

    An immediate reaction regarding the move, which has invited criticism from various quarters, was not available from the public sector lender.

    Earlier in January, the country’s largest lender SBI had put in place new rules which said a woman candidate with more than three months pregnancy will be considered “temporarily unfit” and can join the bank within four months after delivery.

    After criticism from various quarters, the SBI suspended the revised guidelines on the recruitment of pregnant women.

    In its notice, the DCW said the alleged action of the Indian Bank is “discriminatory and illegal” as it is contrary to the Maternity Benefits provided under ‘The Code of Social Security, 2020′.

    “Further, it discriminates on the basis of sex which is against the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India,” the DCW said.

    According to the guidelines and criteria for physical fitness for pre-employment recently issued by Indian Bank, candidates would be re-examined six weeks after delivery for the appointment of the selected post.

    “A woman candidate, who as a result of tests, is found to be pregnant of 12 weeks’ standing or over, should be declared temporarily unfit until the confinement is over. The candidate should be re-examined for a fitness certificate six weeks after the date of labour, subject to the production of a medical certificate of fitness from a registered medical practitioner,” it said.

    In a statement, the DCW said it has also written a letter to the Reserve Bank of India on the issue.

    DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said the panel has taken suo-moto cognizance of media reports on framing of new guidelines by the Indian Bank for recruitment of staff.

    According to the media reports, a recent circular issued by the bank prevents women who are more than three-months pregnant from joining service, despite having been selected through due process, it said.

    “The bank has framed rules which state that if a woman candidate is three months pregnant, then she would be considered ‘temporarily unfit’ and would not be given immediate joining upon her selection.

    This will lead to delay in their joining and subsequently they will lose their seniority,” it said.

    “The commission has issued notice to Indian Bank and has asked them to withdraw the newly issued anti-women guidelines and to provide complete details as to how the policy was framed along with its approving authority,” the DCW said.

    The bank has been asked by the panel to provide a detailed action taken report in the matter by June 23.

    Maliwal has also written a letter to the Governor of Reserve Bank of India.

    In her letter, Maliwal has stated that banks like SBI and Indian Bank have issued anti-women guidelines and need to be specifically discouraged from doing so.

    She has asked RBI Governor to intervene in the matter and issue directions to all banks in the country refraining them from making illegal and unconstitutional rules which discriminate against women.

    The Commission has also requested the RBI Governor to conduct an enquiry into the matter and fix the accountability of the bank officials who have issued the sexist guidelines.

  • DCW issues notice to SBI, seeks withdrawal of employment guidelines for pregnant women

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Saturday issued a notice to SBI seeking withdrawal of its new rules wherein a woman who is over three months pregnant will be considered “temporarily unfit” and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery.

    State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, could not immediately be reached for comment.

    “State Bank of India seems to have issued guidelines preventing women who are over 3 months pregnant from joining service & have termed them as ‘temporarily unfit’. This is both discriminatory and illegal. We have issued a Notice to them seeking withdrawal of this anti women rule,” DCW Chief Swati Maliwal tweeted.

    In the notice, the panel sought a copy of the new guidelines as well as a copy of the similar rules operational before this. It has also sought an action taken report in the matter.

    The bank’s move has elicited criticism from some quarters, including from the All India State Bank of India Employees’ Association.

    In its latest medical fitness guidelines for new recruits or promotees, the bank said a candidate would be considered fit in case of pregnancy which is less than 3 months.

    “However, if pregnancy is of more than three months, she will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within four months after delivery of child,” as per the medical fitness and ophthalmological standards for new recruits and promotees dated December 31, 2021.

    Earlier, women candidates with up to six months of pregnancy were allowed to join the bank subject to various conditions.

    The conditions include furnishing a certificate from a specialist gynaecologist that her taking up bank’s employment at that stage is in no way likely to interfere with her pregnancy or the normal development of the foetus, or is not likely to cause her miscarriage or otherwise to adversely affect her health.

  • Withdraw Kangana Ranaut’s Padma Shri: DCW chief Swati Maliwal writes to President Ram Nath Kovind

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday urging him to withdraw the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, bestowed on actor Kangana Ranaut for her remarks allegedly belittling the country’s Independence.

    Ranaut on Thursday had kicked off a row by saying India attained “real freedom” in 2014, apparently referring to the Narendra Modi-led government assuming power, and describing the country’s Independence in 1947 as “bheek” (alms).

    Maliwal, in her letter, said the actor had “made certain outrageous statements disgracing the great freedom fighters of the country”.

    The DCW chief also demanded sedition charges against the ‘Queen’ actor.

    “These statements reflect her hatred for our great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and countless others who laid down their lives for the nation! We all know that our nation got its Independence from British rule through ultimate sacrifices and martyrdom of our great freedom fighters,” she wrote.

    Highlighting that Ranaut’s statements have hurt the sentiments of millions of Indians and are “seditious” in nature, she urged the president to “kindly take cognizance of the matter and withdraw the Padma Shri honour bestowed upon Ms Ranaut”.

    “I also request you to kindly ensure that an FIR is registered against her on charges of sedition. I hope that you will uphold the sentiments of crores of Indians and do the needful in the matter,” Maliwal stressed.

    The DCW chief said Ranaut, “through her insensitive and thoughtless lies”, had demeaned and belittled “the sacrifices of millions of Indians who participated” in various movements such as the revolt of 1857, the Champaran Satyagrah, the Khilafat Movement, the Quit India Movement, the Dandi March and the Non Cooperation Movement among several others.

    “How can we forget the thousands who had assembled at the Jallianwala Bagh to protest against British rule and the massacre that followed? Are these chapters in our history a ‘bheek’?” Maliwal sought to know.

    She also pointed out that it was not a stray incident by the actor and that “Ranaut appears to not be of sound mind”.

    “She habitually spews venom against people of her own country and has repeatedly used vile language to attack those she does not agree with. Her behaviour is in no way befitting of the recipient of the highest award in the country and is also an insult to the stalwarts who received the award with and before her,” Maliwal added.

    Ranaut was recently awarded the Padma Shri.