By IANS,
New Delhi : Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury Friday sacked National Commission for Women (NCW) member Nirmala Vankatesh who probed the pub attack on women in Mangalore, saying her conduct was detrimental to public interest.
In a notification issued by the ministry, Chowdhury said Vankatesh was sent to Mangalore to probe the assault on women in a pub by the Hindu outfit Sri Rama Sene, but she went public and “acted in a way which was detrimental to public interest”.
“A show cause notice was issued to Vankatesh to explain her conduct and why action should not be taken against her for dereliction of duty. However, her (Vankatesh) explanation was not satisfactory and she has been removed from the charge with immediate effect,” the notification said.
Vankatesh, who led an NCW team to probe the Jan 24 attack on women in a Mangalore pub, said that the pub did “not have enough security” and that “women have to safeguard themselves”. She also shifted the probe focus to whether or not the pub had a licence to serve liquor.
The NCW subsequently distanced itself from Vankatesh’s remarks and dubbed her report “null and void”. Following outrage over the incident, the ministry sent its team Feb 1 as it was unhappy with Vankatesh’s findings.
Activists of the Sri Rama Sene barged into the pub Amnesia – The Lounge in the coastal city of Mangalore, 350 km from Bangalore Jan 24. They molested and assaulted women and abused them for actions that they said went against Indian culture.