Allegations regarding the sexual harassment of TV personality, Ishara Dewendra by a head of ITN were discussed during the parliament today.
The news presenter who quit her job owing to promiscuous sexual harassment by a head at ITN has not complained about the allegation so far Media Minister Bandula Gunawardena said yesterday (25). However, regarding the incident, a full-scale investigation is being conducted at the moment, said the minister.
He made this statement in response to a question posed by Samagi Janablawegaya MP Rohini Kaviratne, based on a letter sent to the President by the Free Press Movement regarding the sexual harassment of Ishara Devendra.
As the Vice President of the Parliamentary Women’s Forum, MP Rohini Kaviratne spoke on the subject and demanded that the suspected officer be exposed and the law should be implemented against him.
In response to that, Minister of Media Bandula Gunawardena expressed as follows:
“You are aware that as a minister it is not possible to take disciplinary action on various things published on social media. Since we have not received any complaints regarding that incident, we can’t do anything. I instructed my secretary to contact the appropriate parties and request a complaint as soon as I learned about this.”
“Secretary Anusha Palpita has spoken to those on the victim’s side and told them to file a complaint. But so far we have not received a complaint.”
“The Chairman of ITN Lawyer Sudarshana Gunawardena, has left Sri Lanka to participate in a summit. He has informed me that instead of him getting involved in the process since the investigation is against an internal officer, he has appointed a separate subjective committee headed by a different lawyer, to conduct a more independent and broad investigation.”
“The Chairman has informed me that the Attorney General’s Department and the Principal of the College of Law will also be providing their advisory support.”
