Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien has demanded that retired Supreme Court Justice AK Ganguly steps down from the post of the Chairman of West Bengal State Human Rights Commission. In a statement Derek said that the charges of sexual harassment against Justice Ganguly were serious and he must resign immediately.
Justice Ganguly is accused of sexually harassing a young law intern at a Delhi hotel in December 2012. The TMC is adamant that Justice Ganguly must step down.
Following is Dereck O'Brien's statement:
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has noted with anxiousness and concern the charges of sexual harassment against Justice (retired) Ashok Kumar Ganguly, chairman of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission (WBHRC). While the charges, made by a legal intern, relate to an earlier period and to a time when Justice Ganguly served in the Supreme Court of India, they cannot but leave an impact on public perception of his current role as chair of the WBHRC.
The Trinamool Congress has followed an approach of zero tolerance when it comes to safety and dignity of women in the workplace and the toxic phenomenon of sexual harassment. It for those in senior positions in public life to act as role models not just in upholding standards of conduct with female colleagues but also in responding expeditiously and with sensitivity when they themselves face charges of this nature.
As such, it would be wholly incumbent upon Justice Ganguly to step down from his position as chair of the WBHRC and restore the sanctity of the office he currently holds. Public propriety and a sense of decency demand this. I therefore urge Justice Ganguly to resign as chair of the WBHRC.
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