Advocate uses public forum to highlight sexual harassment HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JUNE 20 Adv Jos Peter D’Souza, who raised a flutter recently by stating that there was no Prevention of Sexual Harassment Committee at the Bombay High Court at Goa, took his grievance to the International Centre, Dona Paula, at a legal function. The outspoken advocate was seen holding a banner ‘Sexual Harassment??? No Committee-No Complaints’ on Saturday morning at the entrance of the centre where Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar was to preside over a programme of the Goa State Legal Services Authority. “I am not here as an advocate, but as a citizen”. Adv Jos said the issue of the committee had come up after rumours started doing the rounds that a daily wage earner woman was allegedly sexually harassed. There is no smoke without fire and the whole issue needs to be investigated, he demanded. When the question of the committee was put to the Chief Justice after his address by some media persons on two occasions, Mr Justice Kumar’s answers on the issue sounded evasive. Social activist Sabina Martins confirmed she had spoken to the woman, who was allegedly sexually harassed. In fact there are two women who have been sexually harassed and today morning I have forwarded a letter to the Chief Justice, she informed. Martins said she gave the letter to the security at the Raj Bhavan early today morning and I was assured the same would be forwarded to the CJ, who was putting up there. “I hope it has reached him. We (Bailancho Saad) have made a demand for setting up of the committee so that the matter could be investigated,” she stated.
