WCD urges formation of committee amid rising 'MeToo' cases over India

In the wake of MeToo campaign against sexual harassment, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Thursday asked all political parties to constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to hear complaints of affected women in the workplace.

"I have requested the Presidents/In-charge of all recognised National and State political parties to constitute the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as mandated under the Sexual Harassment At Work Act, 2013," she said in a series of tweets.

"This is in view of the fact that political parties employ a large number of personnel, including women, in their offices. It is our prerogative to ensure that women enjoy a safe working environment," she said.

The minister's remarks came in the wake of the MeToo campaign claiming the scalp of Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar against whom sexual harassment and molestation allegations were levelled by nearly 15 women journalists he had worked with in newspapers.

The MeToo campaign gained traction in India in September after actress Tanushree Dutta accused veteran actor Nana Patekar of inappropriate behaviour on the sets of a film they were shooting in 2008.

(With inputs from agencies.)