Zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, Rao tells diplomats

Lily

B.R
Staff member
New Delhi January 31:

Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao has written to all heads of missions stating government's position of "zero tolerance" for incidents of sexual misconduct and domestic violence.

The statement comes in the wake of the recent incidents of two Indian diplomats, Anil Verma and Alok Ranjan Jha, who were called from the UK and UN respectively, following their alleged involvement in domestic violence and sexual misconduct incidents. Sources said Rao has written to all the heads of Indian missions, where she has talked about the position of the ministry, which she said will deal with incidents of sexual misconduct and domestic violence with zero tolerance and will take punitive measures against offending officials.

Any incidents of this kind involving any official will necessitate immediate recall of the officer and his dependents, Rao said in her message. While Verma, serving at the Indian mission at London was recalled after being accused of assaulting his wife, Jha posted at the permanent mission of India at UN, was called back to headquarters for allegedly misbehaving with a female co-passenger on a New York-bound Air India flight.

 
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