Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan said that if the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) comes to power, it will release the Hema Committee report.
In an interview with TNM’s Pooja Prasanna and Haritha John, he questioned why the Pinarayi Vijayan government was “hiding” the report. “We have demanded that they produce it,” he said.
The Hema Committee was constituted in 2017 following the abduction and sexual assault of a prominent female actor in Kerala. Chaired by retired judge Justice K Hema, it was tasked with documenting gender-based injustices in the film industry and recommending reforms.
The committee submitted a nearly 5,000-page report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in December 2019. Five years later, in August 2024, the government released a 290-page redacted version amid pressure from the opposition, activists, and journalists.
VD Satheeshan said that if the UDF comes to power, it will release the full report without redactions.
He was also asked about his differing responses to allegations involving Congress leader Rahul Mamkootathil and CPI(M) leader PK Sasi. Sasi is contesting as a UDF-backed independent candidate in Ottappalam.
Rahul Mamkootathil is currently facing allegations of rape, coercion, and forced abortion. In 2018, PK Sasi was accused of sexual assault and suspended for six months.
Responding to this, Satheesan said, “He (PK Sasi) has not done anything,” and described the allegations as a result of “party rivalry.” He added that, unlike Rahul, PK Sasi had “no case against him, no allegation outside, nobody made a complaint to any police.”
The opposition leader Satheesan also spoke about his efforts to bring the UDF back to power and said he would quit politics if he failed. He again challenged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to a debate, alleged that the Left’s governance mirrors that of the Sangh Parivar, and outlined the Congress’ plans for Kerala if voted to power.
Watch the full interview.