#MeToo: AIR employee threatens, ‘You can’t do a thing to me!’; complains nine women

NP NEWS 24 ONLINE- #MeToo has gone viral not just in India but throughout the world as, since past few months, many such cases of sexual harassment have come up in which various journalists, celebrities have been accused.

Now, another incident of sexual harassment has come into light in which an All India Radio(AIR) has been accused of sexual harassment not just by one but nine employees. After which, the accused employee has degraded from his rank and is objected to another salary.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) announced about this on Friday, December 7. It said, “The disciplinary authority accepted the recommendations and the authority imposed a major penalty of reduction to a lower pay scale by two stages for one year and no increment during the reduction period”.

A complaint has been filed against accused Ratnakar Bharti, an employee of AIR, who is alleged by nine other women who are announcers of AIR of sexual harassment.
The commission also stated that “After the expiration of one year, the reduction period will have effects on subsequent increments. The accused was also transferred as an administrative measure”.

In an allegation made by a victim, she said, “It was raining and my house was far from Akashvani, so I got drenched on my to the office. I went to inform him, ‘Sir, I have reached’. He quickly took out a towel and grabbed me forcefully, then rubbed me in a very dirty way,”, she said.

Another victim, employee of AIR Shahdol said, “Ratnakar(accused) said me directly, ‘Madam if you are unable to have a baby, you could take my sperm. This way you could also be happy’. I got up immediately, warning him of the actions I would take against him. He threatened me, saying that he is well-connected all the way from here to Delhi, so I could do whatever I wanted. He said, ‘You can’t do a thing to me. Even if you say anything, you will ruin your own reputation and nothing will happen to me.”