National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Monday said that she was “shocked” and “utterly disappointed” after learning about the appointment of the new Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi.
Channi, who took oath as the new Chief Minister of Punjab following the resignation of his predecessor Amarinder Singh, has a sexual harassment case over his name in the state.
Channi was accused of sending lewd and inappropriate text messages to a female Indian Administrative Service officer but no formal complaint was registered and the issue was resolved following intervention by then chief minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh. Channi was a minister in Amarinder Singh Cabinet at that time.
However, the case was reopened earlier this year in June after Punjab Women Commission chairperson Manisha Gulati sought a reply from the Punjab government.
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Later, Channi called the move a ‘witch hunt’ by Captain Amarinder Singh, escalating the matter to become an issue in the state Congress circle.
Talking to media persons, NCW Chief Sharma noted the appointment of Channi is “shameful” and further demanded his resignation.
“We do not want another woman to go through the same experience and endure the same harassment that the IAS officer would have faced,” the NCW chief added.
"He has now been made the Punjab Chief Minister by a party that is headed by a woman. It is betrayal. He is a threat to women's safety. An enquiry should be conducted against him. He is not worthy to be Chief Minister. I urge Sonia Gandhi to remove him from the Chief Minister post," Sharma said.
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“One can only imagine what would be the state of women's safety is given the one at the helm of affairs is himself accused of threatening women security,” Sharma added.
The NCW chief also stated that if an IAS officer has been denied justice in the state, how can the ruling dispensation make sure that “common women” of Punjab would be safe. “Despite being a woman herself, the Congress chief (Sonia Gandhi) did not consider the #Metoo allegations made against Channi and appointed him the CM,” Sharma noted.
