While the officialdom blame the previous chairperson of the commission, Pramila Nesargi for it, Nesargi terms it a deliberate act by the officers in the department to safeguard a few top officials who are facing charges of sexual harassment.

Secretary of Women and Child Development Shalini Rajaneesh, based on a report filed by member-secretary of the commission, has served a notice to Nesargi asking her details on the whereabouts of records submitted during her tenure as chairperson.

Pramila Nesargi served as chairperson of the commission for a period of nine months during the rule of the JD(S)-BJP coalition. She vacated the office in November following the Governor’s order after President’s rule was imposed in the state.

But seven months later the department served a notice (dated June 13, 2008) asking information about 890 complaints of 1,189 complaints filed during her tenure.

The secretary in her notice has made a reference to the report (dated May 26,2008) on missing records filed by Parvathi Thimmaiah, member-secretary of the council.

Foul play

Nesargi however alleged foul play, “I am surprised that the department served me a notice seven months after I vacated the office. The member-secretary of the commission sent a report to the secretary of the department on May 26, a day after election results were announced. Results clearly indicated that the BJP would come to power. Anticipating that I would return to the Commission the department has cooked up the story of missing files”, she said.

Nesargi said that during her tenure many complaints were filed against senior officers for harassment.
She had served a notice to the then Chief Secretary of the State Prahlad Mahishi in connection with a complaint filed by Jayashree, wife of IAS officer M N Vijayakumar. “Officers were worried that I would pursue those cases once I return to the commission. They want to avoid me return to the commission by alleging that I have misplaced records of complaints.”

Nesargi has sought details of the report filed by the member-secretary to reply to the notice.

MINISTER SAYS

The issue has come to my notice. I have asked the Secretary of the department to file a report on the whole incident based on which action will be taken against the guilty.

- P M Narendra Swamy, Minister for  Women and Child development