HC stays women commission’s notice against HDK over ‘women going astray remark’
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed a notice issued by the State Commission for Women against former Chief Minister and JD(S) state President HD Kumaraswamy over allegations of insulting women.
A bench headed by Justice M.Nagaprasanna hearing the petition filed by Kumaraswamy stayed the notice issued by the State Commission for Women, and also issued a notice to the Chairperson, Dr. Nagalakshmi Chaudhary, and the Commission.
Justice M Nagaprasanna pointed out that no notice or summons, as permitted by the Karnataka State Commission for Women Act, was given to Kumaraswamy. “A clarification is sought which, on the surface, appears to be beyond its authority,” added.
During the hearing of the application, the lawyer arguing on behalf of HD Kumaraswamy, said that despite the JD(S) leader giving a clarification on his statement on April 15, the Commission issued a notice seeking further clarification.
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In his plea, Kumaraswamy also alleged the Chairperson of the Commission being biased and acting to gain the goodwill of her political masters and the order was issued in contrary to the Section 7(3) of the Karnataka State Commission for Women Act, which states that all the orders and decisions issued by the Commission shall be authenticated by the Secretary or any other duly authorised officer of the Commission.
Furthermore, Kumaraswamy has also urged the HC to quash the summons and notice issued by the State Women’s Commission.
The JD(S) leader while campaigning in Tumkur's, Turuvekere for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate, V Somanna, is alleged to have said that the rural women were being led astray due to Congress government’s guarantee schemes, which triggered a row.
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'Engineered narratives': West Bengal guv on alleged molestation charges against him
Kolkata, May 2: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not be cowed down by “engineered narratives” and the "truth shall triumph” after TMC leaders claimed that a woman working at Raj Bhavan levelled allegations of molestation against him.
In a statement, the Governor said, “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,”
To the Raj Bhavan staff "who expressed solidarity with him following some derogatory narratives that were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties," a communication by Raj Bhawan said.
The Governor’s statement came after senior TMC leaders claimed this evening in a series of social media posts that the woman, who had levelled the allegations, has been taken to a police station to complain against Bose.
Though police sources said they received a verbal complaint, there was no official word on whether a formal complaint had been registered.
“BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of molesting a woman. How utterly appalling and Horrifying. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today. The complainant has been taken to the Hare Street police station for filing a complaint. The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.
Fellow TMC MP Saket Gokhale also posted on his X account regarding the issue.
West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said it is “shameful” that the Governor has maligned his post and has used it to “torture a woman”.
“It is appalling and shocking to see such an incident. This is the same Governor who had reached out to Sandeshkhali to talk about women’s rights and Nari Shakti. This is shameful that the Governor sought undue advantages in the pretext of giving her a permanent job. We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be addressing rallies in Bengal tomorrow to react on this issue,” she said.
According to sources in the Governor's House, the "woman employee with the help of her alleged boyfriend who is also an employee of the Raj Bhavan was blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India.
"When she was reprimanded for that, she went outside and alleged molestation. She is in the habit of throwing tantrums against her colleagues because of some disease," a Raj Bhavan official said.
The West Bengal Governor and the TMC government have shared an acrimonious relationship since he assumed office in November 2022 and had several run-ins on various issues.
The BJP said it has to be seen whether this a “conspiracy by the TMC” or has an “iota of truth in it”.
“We all know that the TMC is politically cornered on the issue of SSC scam and is looking for a breathing space. So this needs to be seen whether this is a conspiracy by the TMC or it has any iota of truth in it,” BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said.
BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj…
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 2, 2024
Shameful that a constitutional office holder should try to prejudice an impartial investigation by attacking the motive of the complainant. We have seen this happen in that infamous Saturday Hearing of the Supreme Court. Respect women! https://t.co/E6eJLQvFXO
— sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) May 2, 2024
