DHARMAPURI: A radio jockey couple here has lost their “casual” jobs at the All India Radio (AIR) for complaining about alleged sexual harassment by the Local Radio Station (LRS) 102.5 FM’s Programme Executive. The incident happened in April soon after an internal sexual harassment committee probed into the woman’s complaint. The couple, both of whom were anchoring music programmes, has since been petitioning various authorities including the AIR Regional Director in Chennai but to no avail.
The Programme Executive R Murali, a physically challenged person, however, claimed that the couple was sacked for furnishing false residential address. Incidentally, another “casual announcer” at the same radio station has also complained that her service was terminated for complaining about the work environment.
According to Nirmala (name changed), in 2004 she joined the AIR’s Rainbow FM at Chennai. After marrying, she shifted to Dharmapuri.
“From the beginning the Programme Executive Murali began passing sexually explicit comments at me. He would ask me to call him on the phone at night. Whenever we met in office, he would look at me inappropriately. I stopped interacting with him and informed my husband who also works as a casual announcer,” Nirmala said. “In February, Murali threatened to sack me if I did not ‘cooperate’ with him,” Nirmala alleged adding that after this incident, she and her husband filed a complaint with the AIR Additional Director and the internal sexual harassment committee.
‘AIR Boss Hiding behind Disability’
The radio jockey couple has claimed that their tormentor has been using his physical disability as a trump card to earn sympathy and escape punishment.
“Following our complaint against Murali, inquiries were conducted but we were not briefed on the findings of the panel. From what we gathered, he has managed to earn the sympathy of others as he is physically challenged. On the other hand we lost our jobs,” claimed Nirmala.
“Since ours was an inter-caste marriage, we do not enjoy the support of our respective family members. Murali was aware of this and hence he tried to exploit my wife sexually,” alleged her husband.
“We had sent several petitions to higher officials yet no action has been taken against him. They should come forward to conduct a comprehensive enquiry as the work environment is unsafe for woman at the radio station,” he added.
Endorsing this, Kavitha (name changed) another casual announcer whose services were recently terminated, alleged, “The work atmosphere is not congenial for women. I complained about this and paid for it with my job.”
Denying these charges, Murali said, “I terminated the couple because they joined the FM by furnishing false address. “They are leveling sexual exploitation complaints to mentally harass me,” he charged.