Government Takes #MeToo Seriously: Forms Group Of Ministers To Formulate Plan For Addressing Issues

The Narendra Modi government has constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) under the Home Minister to address #MeToo movement, Times of India has reported.

Comprising of defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and women and child development minister Maneka Gandhi, the GoM will recommend suggestions for the effective implementation of the existing provisions and make changes in the legal and institutional systems to deal with workplace sexual harassment of women.

“The GOM has been constituted in view of the felt need for broader consultation on this issue, from the point of view of developing appropriate recommendations and laying down a comprehensive plan of action and for ensuring its time-bound implementation,” the home ministry said in a statement. A deadline of three months has been given to the GoM to appraise the existing provisions and propose new measures to make them more effective.

Maneka Gandhi has also launched an electronic complaint box to empower women to raise their voice against sexual harassment at work. The #MeToo movement has brought out the allegations of sexual harassment of women in entertainment, cinema, journalism and corporate setups.