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The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has announced a new committee for Haritha, the women's wing of its student organisation Muslim Students' Federation (MSF), in Kerala. The earlier committee was dissolved three days ago, a month after it was frozen when leaders of Haritha went public with sexual harassment charges against MSF leaders. The new committee has nine members, of whom only one person from the previous committee is retained, reports Manorama News.
PH Ayisha Banu, who was the only member in the previous committee to not sign on Haritha's complaint to the State Women's Commission against sexual harassment, has been declared the president of the new committee. Manorama reports that Ayisha (from Malappuram) was treasurer in the previous 12-member committee but had refrained from signing on the complaint. All the other members who signed the complaint have been replaced. The new committee has a general secretary, three vice presidents, three secretaries and a treasurer.
Haritha members of the previous committee had spoken out against the harassment by MSF leaders, on August 11. They alleged the male counterparts of using vulgar language against them and trying to oppress women. Allegations were raised against MSF president PK Navas and Malappuram district general secretary V Abdul Vahab. On September 10, Navas was arrested by the Chemmangad police in Kozhikode based on the complaint that Haritha filed at the Veyyayil station in Kozhikode. According to the complaint, Navas called Haritha members “infertile feminists” during a meeting held in June in Kozhikode. When they expressed their opinions, he is alleged to have said that even “prostitutes” have opinions so they may have one too.
Haritha members had said that they went public about the harassment after the IUML took no action about their complaint. Following this, IUML state general secretary PMA Salam said that the party dissolved the women's wing, because of repeated acts of "indiscipline" by the members.