M A I N   N E W S

Ganguly refuses to quit as WBHRC chief

Kolkata, December 10
Notwithstanding the growing clamour for his resignation as chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, former Supreme Court judge Ashok Kumar Ganguly today ruled it out.

"No, I am not," he retorted when asked by reporters whether he was resigning from the post as he stepped out of his office which he had not attended for the past three days. Earlier, he said he would do whatever he has to.

"I will not answer any question of yours. I will do whatever I have to," said an angry Ganguly, who has been indicted by a Supreme Court panel following a complaint of sexual harassment by a law intern, when reporters shot questions at him while he was taking a morning walk. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien tweeted "Today is United Nations Human Rights Day. Former Supreme Court judge Ashok Ganguly is continuing as chief of WBHRC. Sir, please don't mock your office."

Many politicians, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sought action against him. Banerjee has twice written to President Pranab Mukherjee asking him to take appropriate action urgently.

Ganguly, who retired from the apex court more than a year ago, was accused by the law intern of sexually harassing her in a hotel room in Delhi last year. The judge strongly denied the charge.

Womens' rights activist Santasree Chaudhuri and members of the NGO 'Bharat Bachao Sangathan' have sent text messages and emails to the young lawyer requesting her to file an FIR. "I have messaged her appealing that she has to come out now. Once you have accused a person in the open then you have to depose before the police and let the law take its course," Chaudhuri, who runs a helpline 'Survivors for Victims of Social Injustice', told PTI here.

"The case has aroused the compassion of the whole country and now we cannot walk back," she said. The woman who has passed out from a Kolkata law school had complained about the incident on a blog post and deposed before a Supreme Court panel which probed her allegation. The committee of three judges of the apex court has indicted Ganguly for 'unwelcome behaviour' and 'conduct of sexual nature' toward the woman in a hotel room in Delhi last year. — PTI

Under fire