Congress leader urges Telangana government to release report on harassment in film industry
Sarwath emphasised that with a woman now leading Telangana’s administration, an immediate release of the report is expected, as both the former Chief Secretary’s office and the HLC have reviewed it
Hyderabad: Congress leader Dr. Lubna Sarwath has urged rural development minister Dr. Seethakka to release the pending report on gender bias and sexual harassment in the film industry. She submitted a representation during the "Meet Your Minister" programme at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday. The minister assured her that the report would be released by the State Chief Secretary.
A High-Level Committee (HLC) was formed in April 2019 to assess the issue and recommend solutions. The HLC's sub-committee submitted its findings in June 2022 after delays due to Covid-19. Sarwath emphasised that with a woman now leading Telangana’s administration, an immediate release of the report is expected, as both the former Chief Secretary’s office and the HLC have reviewed it.
Sub-committee members have also called for its release, citing Kerala’s Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) as an example of transparency. The release of Kerala’s Hema Committee Report led to industry accountability. Sarwath noted that the report included recommendations on women's safety, workplace democratisation and mechanisms to prevent exploitation in the film and television industries.
