Kozhikode (Kerala), Congress on Saturday accused the Left government in Kerala of behaving inappropriately towards a woman nursing officer who testified in favor of a woman who was allegedly sexually harassed by a Government Medical College Hospital employee here. Was.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that the stance of the state government and the state health minister indicated that they were protecting those who tried to intimidate the victim.
Satheesan argued that Health Minister Veena George should have stood with the victim and the nursing officer.His allegations came in the wake of protests outside the Government Medical College Hospital since April 1 over the refusal of a nursing officer - P B Anitha - to appoint him despite the Kerala High Court's direction.
Anitha had moved the Kerala High Court in February against her transfer to the Government Medical College, Idukki.
The High Court had said that while the government was initiating disciplinary action against some other employees of the medical college in Kozhikode, no action was taken against them."Anyway, if there has been any negligence or carelessness on the part of the petitioner (Anita) in performing her duty, then disciplinary action should necessarily have been taken against her. There is no case to be found that the petitioner herself has taken disciplinary action. Is it?
"It appears that this transfer is the result of an ongoing investigation. When the petitioner has been transferred from the Medical College, Kozhikode and the Medical College, Idukki, it means that it is not for any administrative need, but as a punishment Without any proper investigation,” the court had said.
While the court had indicated that it was willing to quash his transfer order, it refrained from doing so because someone else had already been appointed in his place.Instead, the court directed that Anitha be appointed to the vacancy arising in Kozhikode Medical College on April 1.
"We make it clear that the impugned order (of transfer) will not be reflected in the form of adverse findings or reports in the service record of the petitioner," the court said.
However, when she went to the hospital on April 1, she was told that no order for appointment had come from the government yet and hence, she decided to protest outside it, Anita told TV channels.As the protests continued, George told reporters on Friday that action has been taken against Anita on the basis of a report given by the Director of Medica Education (DME).
He said the DME had found that there were "supervisory lapses" on the part of the nurse when the incident occurred in March last year.
The minister said the lapse on his part could not be confirmed by his subsequent conduct and the action taken by the government was in the interest of the sexual harassment victim.The same day, the victim came out in support of Anita, claiming that the nurses had stood up for her.
The victim had also said that if people who stand up for victims like her are punished in this way, then no one will do the same in future.
As Anita's protests continued, Satheesan met her today and offered his party's full support and then speaking to the media, he termed the government and the minister as "shameless".He further said that if the minister is refusing to implement the High Court order then it is a violation of her oath of office.
He said, "Her (Veena George) conduct is unconstitutional and illegal. Be it the CM, the Health Minister or the government, they are bound to implement the High Court order."
Satheesan alleged that the government's stance indicates that it is with the accused and those who helped them, and not with the victim.Meanwhile, the government has filed a revision petition in the High Court against the direction to appoint Anita in the Government Medical College here, while she has filed a contempt case over her non-appointment.
"I will end my protest only after getting the appointment order," she told TV channels today.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, alleged that the stance of the state government and the state health minister indicated that they were protecting those who tried to intimidate the victim.
Satheesan argued that Health Minister Veena George should have stood with the victim and the nursing officer.His allegations came in the wake of protests outside the Government Medical College Hospital since April 1 over the refusal of a nursing officer - P B Anitha - to appoint him despite the Kerala High Court's direction.
Anitha had moved the Kerala High Court in February against her transfer to the Government Medical College, Idukki.
The High Court had said that while the government was initiating disciplinary action against some other employees of the medical college in Kozhikode, no action was taken against them."Anyway, if there has been any negligence or carelessness on the part of the petitioner (Anita) in performing her duty, then disciplinary action should necessarily have been taken against her. There is no case to be found that the petitioner herself has taken disciplinary action. Is it?
"It appears that this transfer is the result of an ongoing investigation. When the petitioner has been transferred from the Medical College, Kozhikode and the Medical College, Idukki, it means that it is not for any administrative need, but as a punishment Without any proper investigation,” the court had said.
While the court had indicated that it was willing to quash his transfer order, it refrained from doing so because someone else had already been appointed in his place.Instead, the court directed that Anitha be appointed to the vacancy arising in Kozhikode Medical College on April 1.
"We make it clear that the impugned order (of transfer) will not be reflected in the form of adverse findings or reports in the service record of the petitioner," the court said.
However, when she went to the hospital on April 1, she was told that no order for appointment had come from the government yet and hence, she decided to protest outside it, Anita told TV channels.As the protests continued, George told reporters on Friday that action has been taken against Anita on the basis of a report given by the Director of Medica Education (DME).
He said the DME had found that there were "supervisory lapses" on the part of the nurse when the incident occurred in March last year.
The minister said the lapse on his part could not be confirmed by his subsequent conduct and the action taken by the government was in the interest of the sexual harassment victim.The same day, the victim came out in support of Anita, claiming that the nurses had stood up for her.
The victim had also said that if people who stand up for victims like her are punished in this way, then no one will do the same in future.
As Anita's protests continued, Satheesan met her today and offered his party's full support and then speaking to the media, he termed the government and the minister as "shameless".He further said that if the minister is refusing to implement the High Court order then it is a violation of her oath of office.
He said, "Her (Veena George) conduct is unconstitutional and illegal. Be it the CM, the Health Minister or the government, they are bound to implement the High Court order."
Satheesan alleged that the government's stance indicates that it is with the accused and those who helped them, and not with the victim.Meanwhile, the government has filed a revision petition in the High Court against the direction to appoint Anita in the Government Medical College here, while she has filed a contempt case over her non-appointment.
"I will end my protest only after getting the appointment order," she told TV channels today.
