NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has decided to send the chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), Swati Maliwal, to the Rajya Sabha. Maliwal will become a Rajya Sabha member for the first time. AAP’s political affairs committee (PAC) has also chosen to nominate Sanjay Singh and ND Gupta for their second terms as members of the upper house, given that their current term concludes on January 27, 2024.
Tag: Delhi Commission For Women
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DCW chief urges Adityanath to set up high-level committee to probe Ghaziabad gangrape case
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Saturday wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and urged him to set up a high-level committee to probe the alleged gangrape of a 36-year-old woman in Ghaziabad.
She also said that strong action should be taken against the woman if her allegations are found to be false.
This comes a day after the Ghaziabad police registered a case against the woman and three others for allegedly levelling a “fabricated” gangrape charge against five men with whom she is embroiled in a property dispute.
In her letter, Maliwal said the DCW received a call on its helpline number — 181 — on October 18 from a GTB Hospital nurse regarding a case of sexual assault and was asked to send a counsellor.
A counsellor was immediately sent to the hospital.
During her interaction with the counsellor, the woman alleged that she was gang-raped by five men for two days and they inserted an iron rod into her private parts.
She claimed that she was tied and dumped on a roadside in a sack.
The commission recorded her statement, the DCW chief said.
The DCW went through the woman’s medical report which stated that she was tied with a rope, had bite marks on her body, abrasions on her thighs and neck, and was bleeding.
It also stated that an “iron rod, around 5-6 cm long”, was removed from her private parts, Maliwal added.
The Ghaziabad police had registered a case under sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 376 D (gangrape) of the Indian Penal Code in the matter on a complaint filed by the woman’s brother on October 18.
The DCW had issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Police on October 19 as the woman is a Delhi resident.
Recently, Maliwal said, the police stated that the woman’s allegations are unsubstantiated and that they have enough evidence to prove that she hatched a conspiracy against the five men named in the complaint over a property dispute.
“This is very serious, shocking and deeply upsetting on several levels. In this regard, I urge your hon’ble self to kindly set up a high-level committee to investigate the case in depth. The facts of the matter need to be examined in detail in an independent manner so that the truth can come out,” she said.
“It must be examined as to who inflicted the injuries on the woman and who was responsible for inserting the iron rod-like substance into her private parts which was removed by the GTB Hospital (as mentioned in the MLC report).
“In case it is proved beyond doubt that the girl (woman) was actively involved in hatching a conspiracy against the men and that she is not a victim but instead a perpetrator, I would urge you to ensure that strong action is taken against the woman under Section 182 (false information with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) of the IPC and others,” she added.
On Friday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) also said that the woman and her family members gave contradictory statements in connection with the alleged gangrape.
The NCW said it was told by the police that evidence suggests that Rs 5,000 was paid to individuals to sensationalise the case in the media.
NEW DELHI: Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Saturday wrote to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and urged him to set up a high-level committee to probe the alleged gangrape of a 36-year-old woman in Ghaziabad.
She also said that strong action should be taken against the woman if her allegations are found to be false.
This comes a day after the Ghaziabad police registered a case against the woman and three others for allegedly levelling a “fabricated” gangrape charge against five men with whom she is embroiled in a property dispute.
In her letter, Maliwal said the DCW received a call on its helpline number — 181 — on October 18 from a GTB Hospital nurse regarding a case of sexual assault and was asked to send a counsellor.
A counsellor was immediately sent to the hospital.
During her interaction with the counsellor, the woman alleged that she was gang-raped by five men for two days and they inserted an iron rod into her private parts.
She claimed that she was tied and dumped on a roadside in a sack.
The commission recorded her statement, the DCW chief said.
The DCW went through the woman’s medical report which stated that she was tied with a rope, had bite marks on her body, abrasions on her thighs and neck, and was bleeding.
It also stated that an “iron rod, around 5-6 cm long”, was removed from her private parts, Maliwal added.
The Ghaziabad police had registered a case under sections 342 (wrongful confinement) and 376 D (gangrape) of the Indian Penal Code in the matter on a complaint filed by the woman’s brother on October 18.
The DCW had issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Police on October 19 as the woman is a Delhi resident.
Recently, Maliwal said, the police stated that the woman’s allegations are unsubstantiated and that they have enough evidence to prove that she hatched a conspiracy against the five men named in the complaint over a property dispute.
“This is very serious, shocking and deeply upsetting on several levels. In this regard, I urge your hon’ble self to kindly set up a high-level committee to investigate the case in depth. The facts of the matter need to be examined in detail in an independent manner so that the truth can come out,” she said.
“It must be examined as to who inflicted the injuries on the woman and who was responsible for inserting the iron rod-like substance into her private parts which was removed by the GTB Hospital (as mentioned in the MLC report).
“In case it is proved beyond doubt that the girl (woman) was actively involved in hatching a conspiracy against the men and that she is not a victim but instead a perpetrator, I would urge you to ensure that strong action is taken against the woman under Section 182 (false information with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) of the IPC and others,” she added.
On Friday, the National Commission for Women (NCW) also said that the woman and her family members gave contradictory statements in connection with the alleged gangrape.
The NCW said it was told by the police that evidence suggests that Rs 5,000 was paid to individuals to sensationalise the case in the media.
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Ghaziabad: Woman who levelled ‘fabricated’ gang-rape charge booked along with 3 others
By PTI
GHAZIABAD: Police have registered a case against a woman and three others after she allegedly levelled a “fabricated” gang-rape charge in an attempt to grab property.
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday had said that the 36-year-old woman was found wrapped in a jute bag, with her hands and legs tied, and an iron rod was inserted in her private parts.
However, the Ghaziabad police on Thursday dismissed as “fabricated” the Delhi woman’s claim that she had been raped and brutalised by five men and that a had been hatched over a dispute over a “small” property.
The National Commission for Women has also said that contradictory statements were made by the woman and her family members.
On Friday, Circle Officer (City-2) Alok Dubey said that the woman and her accomplices Azad, Afzal and Gaurav have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (fraudulently or dishonestly using as genuine any document which the person knows or has reason to believe to be forged).
Of the initial five suspects, the Ghaziabad police on Wednesday had said that four people had been taken into custody following the allegation of the woman.
During a press conference on Thursday, when asked if a clean chit will be given to the four of them, Inspector General, Meerut, Praveen Kumar, said, “We have not got any evidence against them. Prima facie, in this case, no such incident has taken place. So, there is no question of getting evidence.”
On the women’s claim that she was kidnapped, the officer had said,” No. She had gone to a designated place of her own will.”
Chats analysed by police also show that money was also paid to individuals to publicise the case, he had said. The woman had claimed that she was raped by five men for two days.
DCW chief Maliwal had said the incident reminded her of the Nirbhaya case.
She was referring to the brutal gang-rape and assault of a 23-year-old paramedic student on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012 inside a moving bus in south Delhi by six people before being thrown out on the road.
The DCW had also issued a notice to Ghaziabad police in connection with the case.
On Thursday, Inspector General Kumar had also said that during investigation, it was found that Azad’s phone was switched off around the time the woman purportedly disappeared.
On the property dispute, he said the dispute was about a “small” property.
“A woman named Sameena gave the property to Azad in 2021 who in turn gave its power of attorney to a man named Deepak Joshi. There was talk about giving this property to the Delhi woman. The case regarding this was going on in the court,” the officer said.
Authorities at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital had on Wednesday said the woman’s condition is stable and no internal injury has been found yet.
Nipun Agarwal, Superintendent of Police (City-I) Ghaziabad, on Wednesday had said the victim claimed that after raping her, the accused had inserted an iron rod in her private part but when the police tried to get her medically examined at a Meerut hospital, she refused.
“Doctors then referred her to the Meerut Medical College for treatment but she refused to go there as well. The woman was then taken to a Delhi hospital,” the SP had said.
GHAZIABAD: Police have registered a case against a woman and three others after she allegedly levelled a “fabricated” gang-rape charge in an attempt to grab property.
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday had said that the 36-year-old woman was found wrapped in a jute bag, with her hands and legs tied, and an iron rod was inserted in her private parts.
However, the Ghaziabad police on Thursday dismissed as “fabricated” the Delhi woman’s claim that she had been raped and brutalised by five men and that a had been hatched over a dispute over a “small” property.
The National Commission for Women has also said that contradictory statements were made by the woman and her family members.
On Friday, Circle Officer (City-2) Alok Dubey said that the woman and her accomplices Azad, Afzal and Gaurav have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (fraudulently or dishonestly using as genuine any document which the person knows or has reason to believe to be forged).
Of the initial five suspects, the Ghaziabad police on Wednesday had said that four people had been taken into custody following the allegation of the woman.
During a press conference on Thursday, when asked if a clean chit will be given to the four of them, Inspector General, Meerut, Praveen Kumar, said, “We have not got any evidence against them. Prima facie, in this case, no such incident has taken place. So, there is no question of getting evidence.”
On the women’s claim that she was kidnapped, the officer had said,” No. She had gone to a designated place of her own will.”
Chats analysed by police also show that money was also paid to individuals to publicise the case, he had said. The woman had claimed that she was raped by five men for two days.
DCW chief Maliwal had said the incident reminded her of the Nirbhaya case.
She was referring to the brutal gang-rape and assault of a 23-year-old paramedic student on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012 inside a moving bus in south Delhi by six people before being thrown out on the road.
The DCW had also issued a notice to Ghaziabad police in connection with the case.
On Thursday, Inspector General Kumar had also said that during investigation, it was found that Azad’s phone was switched off around the time the woman purportedly disappeared.
On the property dispute, he said the dispute was about a “small” property.
“A woman named Sameena gave the property to Azad in 2021 who in turn gave its power of attorney to a man named Deepak Joshi. There was talk about giving this property to the Delhi woman. The case regarding this was going on in the court,” the officer said.
Authorities at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital had on Wednesday said the woman’s condition is stable and no internal injury has been found yet.
Nipun Agarwal, Superintendent of Police (City-I) Ghaziabad, on Wednesday had said the victim claimed that after raping her, the accused had inserted an iron rod in her private part but when the police tried to get her medically examined at a Meerut hospital, she refused.
“Doctors then referred her to the Meerut Medical College for treatment but she refused to go there as well. The woman was then taken to a Delhi hospital,” the SP had said.
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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.
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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.
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‘Shaktimaan’ actor Mukesh Khanna equates ‘girls asking for sex’ to prostitutes, DCW seeks FIR against him
By PTI
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna on Wednesday found himself at the centre of a row for his remarks comparing women who ask for sex to “sex workers”.
Best known for playing Bhishma Pitamah in BR Chopra’s “Mahabharat” and superhero “Shaktimaan”, Khanna said a girl belonging to a “civilised society” would never initiate a sexual conversation.
“If a girl asks a boy to have sex, she is not a girl, she is a sex worker. Because a decent girl belonging to a civilised society would never say such things,” the 64-year-old actor said in a video posted on his YouTube channel called Bheeshm International recently.
Following the criticism, Khanna said he was not making comments on general man-woman relationship and his purpose was to make the “youth aware about sex racket”.
In the video titled ‘Kya Aapko Bhi Aisi Ladkiya Lubhati Hain?’, Khanna was talking about internet sex rackets where men are blackmailed.
“I also get messages from girls, where they say they want to chat with me and they ask for nude photos. We don’t know whether it is actually a woman or a man. I also get messages, I do not reply to them. Some people who I know too have received messages from girls, who have their own channels,” he said.
The two-day-old clip went viral on internet on Wednesday morning.
After being criticised for his derogatory remarks, he told PTI, “People have trolled me in the past also by watching only a small or certain part of the video. People should see this entire video first. My only purpose was to make the youth aware about the sex racket. I am not talking about the general relationship between a man and a woman. I respect woman.”
The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) issued a notice to Delhi Police cyber cell seeking registration of an FIR against Khanna for his alleged “derogatory and misogynist comments against women”.
Khanna also received flak on social media.
“If any actor says such bullshit, he’s asking for limelight Mukesh Khanna,” a user wrote.
Another user said, “Amazing logic. I understand though, that no girl might have said this to him. So it’s great for him to remain in this delusion for life.”
“Sorry Shaktimaan, this time you’re the one in the wrong here,” another tweet read.
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna on Wednesday found himself at the centre of a row for his remarks comparing women who ask for sex to “sex workers”.
Best known for playing Bhishma Pitamah in BR Chopra’s “Mahabharat” and superhero “Shaktimaan”, Khanna said a girl belonging to a “civilised society” would never initiate a sexual conversation.
“If a girl asks a boy to have sex, she is not a girl, she is a sex worker. Because a decent girl belonging to a civilised society would never say such things,” the 64-year-old actor said in a video posted on his YouTube channel called Bheeshm International recently.
Following the criticism, Khanna said he was not making comments on general man-woman relationship and his purpose was to make the “youth aware about sex racket”.
In the video titled ‘Kya Aapko Bhi Aisi Ladkiya Lubhati Hain?’, Khanna was talking about internet sex rackets where men are blackmailed.
“I also get messages from girls, where they say they want to chat with me and they ask for nude photos. We don’t know whether it is actually a woman or a man. I also get messages, I do not reply to them. Some people who I know too have received messages from girls, who have their own channels,” he said.
The two-day-old clip went viral on internet on Wednesday morning.
After being criticised for his derogatory remarks, he told PTI, “People have trolled me in the past also by watching only a small or certain part of the video. People should see this entire video first. My only purpose was to make the youth aware about the sex racket. I am not talking about the general relationship between a man and a woman. I respect woman.”
The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) issued a notice to Delhi Police cyber cell seeking registration of an FIR against Khanna for his alleged “derogatory and misogynist comments against women”.
Khanna also received flak on social media.
“If any actor says such bullshit, he’s asking for limelight Mukesh Khanna,” a user wrote.
Another user said, “Amazing logic. I understand though, that no girl might have said this to him. So it’s great for him to remain in this delusion for life.”
“Sorry Shaktimaan, this time you’re the one in the wrong here,” another tweet read.
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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.
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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.
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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.