- DIMAPUR — Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has
strongly condemned the various incidents of sexual-harassment meted out to some
of the women employees of Investment and Development Authority of Nagaland
(IDAN) allegedly by the joint secretary, Reny Wilfred, during his tenure at the
IDAN office and demanded his immediate suspension.
- An update from NMA stated that in a joint meeting at the
office of Nagaland State Women Commission (NSWC) on April 19, the association
had listened to the victims and their personal traumatised stories of sexual
harassment by the perpetrator on the female employees, both within and outside
the IDAN office premises.
- While expressing solidarity with the brave young women, who
had the courage to raise their complaints of sexual harassment at the work
place, the association has demanded punitive action as per the law on the top
government official of the state.
- It questioned the chief secretary and the state government
as to how an officer under an investigation was allowed to sit in another
department and use the premises to conduct a press conference in the midst of
such serious allegations against him and an ongoing trial on the Noklak sexual
assault case.
- “We are shocked, dismayed and appalled to learn that he
still occupies the position of joint secretary, Finance, despite his removal
from the IDAN office,” the statement read.
- NMA has demanded his immediate suspension and removal from
the post of joint secretary of Finance to allow an impartial police SIT
investigation. NMA also expressed shocked to learn of the Writ Petition filed
against the State Women Commission members by the IAS officer in the midst of the
SIT police investigation on him, though he is on anticipatory bail.
Also read: Naga Students’ Federation reiterates call for suspension of IAS officer amid probe
- “This is harassment of the State Women Commission members,
who are duty bound to protect any victims who approach the Commission. This act
is an insult to all of us Naga women by an outsider and a non-Naga,” NMA said.
