HYDERABAD: Several women activists from the city filed a PIL in the Hyderabad High Court seeking direction to the Telangana government to forthwith constitute a high-level committee to enquire into issues of women’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation (casting couch) in the Telugu film industry and to initiate steps for safety, dignity and welfare of the women artistes.
Petitioners V Sandhya Rani and six other activists, in their petition, complained about inaction of the State government in forming a committee to deal with the complaints of sexual exploitation of women artistes working in Telugu film industry.
The State Commission for Women, based on a representation by the petitioners, had directed the government to submit action taken reports on the issue. Referring to an incident of strip protest by a woman artiste Sri Reddy in April against sexual harassment, the petitioners said they have given a representation to the Cinematography Minister.
They sought the court to direct the state government to set up a committee consisting of officials from the departments of women, home and labour, women’s rights activists, eminent lawyers and the representatives of women artists from film industry to carry out an inquiry into the conditions of work place of women artists and to recommend measures to ensure safety and dignity and a grievance redressal mechanism in the industry.The matter is expected to come up for hearing on Tuesday.