National Conference has taken strong note of the allegations leveled against some senior officers of the Health Department against whom a complaint of harassment and sexual assault was made by a Staff Nurse posted in Primary Health Center at Pahalgam and asked the government to ensure a free and fair investigation into the matter.
According to a statement issued, while welcoming the timely and swift registration of a case against the accused, NC Spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu has said that there was absolutely no doubt that the State Government would ensure a time-bound probe and initiate strict disciplinary action against those found guilty. The NC Spokesman also welcomed the strong notice taken by the Chairperson of the State Women's Commission about this incident.Mattu said the State Government had demonstrated its commitment to the safety of women employees in both public and private sectors by ensuring adherence to the Vishaka Guidelines that lay down guidelines to be followed by establishments in dealing with complaints about sexual harassment at the workplace. "While the State Government has ensured compliance to a significant extent, we are sure that more systems will be put in place to deal with such complaints effectively and fairly", Mattu added.
Mattu said that the National Conference constitution includes as its integral part, the non-negotiable right of women to dignity, respect and honor and the party continues to hold these values supreme without any exceptions or compromises.Reiterating that there could be no tolerance for incidents of this nature, the NC Spokesman said that no civilized society could tolerate the harassment of women and that the State Government should ensure speedy trial and a transparent probe into this incident. "We demand that the trial be transparent and time-bound and free of any pressures or influences so that justice could not only be done but also seen to be done so that the faith of the people in the integrity of the justice system is upheld", Mattu said.