Karnataka film fraternity urges CM to form panel to address sexual harassment in industry
Bengaluru, Sep 4: Over 100 film professionals on Wednesday urged the Karnataka government to appoint a committee led by a retired judge to address the sexual harassment issue in the Kannada film industry.
In a letter addressed to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, sent on behalf of Film Industry for Rights & Equality (FIRE), 153 film professionals, including actors Kiccha Sudeep and Ramya, demanded the government to "conduct a thorough investigation into the systematic issues faced by women in KFI, including sexual harassment".
The letter, dated September 4, comes in the wake of the Justice K Hema Committee report that is taking the Malayalam film industry by storm with many survivors coming forward to name the preparators.
FIRE, led by film director, screenwriter and lyricist Kavita Lankesh, has been pushing for reform in the Kannada film industry following the #metoo wave as well.
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FIRE also urged the government to "develop and recommend policies to ensure a healthy and equitable work environment for all women in the industry."
It wanted a retired judge of the High Court or Supreme Court "who has demonstrated a strong commitment to gender justice over her/his years of service be appointed to head the committee."
Incidentally, FIRE has been instrumental in establishing India’s first-ever film industry Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), advocating for survivors of sexual harassment.
"We recognise that more comprehensive measures are needed to create a safe and equitable working environment for all women in the industry," said the letter.
Despite many attempts to reach Lankesh over the phone, she was unavailable for comment.
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Iran warns of ‘uncontrollable consequences’ after energy site strike
Qatar warns residents of ‘Elavated’ threat
Tehran/Doha: Iran’s President Massoud Pezeshkian has warned that attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure could lead to “uncontrollable consequences” affecting the entire world.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian said he “strongly condemns” the strikes that targeted the South Pars gasfield earlier in the day.
“Such aggressive actions will not achieve anything for the American Zionist enemy and their supporters. Rather, they will complicate the situation and could lead to uncontrollable consequences that will affect the entire world,” he said.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has urged residents to remain indoors due to what it described as an elevated security threat.
Authorities have not provided further details, but the advisory comes amid growing concerns over the safety of energy infrastructure and civilian areas in the region.
