'Government has no role': Minister P Rajeev states Hema Commission did not recommend legal action

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister P Rajeev has stated that the government had no role in omitting certain parts of the Hema Committee report, attributing the omissions to a court order aimed at protecting privacy. He emphasized that the government has no influence over the proceedings of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission and reiterated that the Hema Committee did not recommend legal action.

"The government has no special rules in this matter. They have said they will release the information after personally reviewing it, and it is believed that this process has been fully complied with. The RTI Commission can verify if necessary," P Rajeev said.

CPI leader Annie Raja also weighed in on the issue, asserting that there is no need for anyone's complaint to trigger action on the Hema Committee report. She stressed that the government should take timely action and not delay it as was the case with the report itself. Speaking from Delhi, Annie Raja highlighted the need for resolving certain issues without resorting to legal cases.

Earlier, Minister V. Sivankutty responded to the controversy by saying, "Those who eat salt will drink water, and it will be the same for everyone." He added that the government has nothing to hide, and the Chief Minister has assured that no criminals will escape justice, urging people to trust this assurance.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition has written to the Chief Minister and the Minister of Film and Culture, demanding a comprehensive inquiry to bring the culprits to justice based on the Hema Committee report. The letter calls for the formation of a special investigation team led by a woman IPS officer to investigate the statements provided by the victims and the evidence submitted.