Before resigning over sexual harassment allegations, Meghalaya Governor conducted interviews, promoted PA
A woman interviewd by Guv Shanmuganathan has alleged that the Meghalaya Guv hugged and kissed her against her consent.
Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan who is under fire over allegations of sexual harassment and compromising the dignity of the gubernatorial office, reportedly conducted direct interviews and promoted his personal assistant in less than five months, The Indian Express said in a report.
67-year-old Shanmuganathan tendered his resignation from the post after nearly 100 Raj Bhavan staff in Shillong wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, seeking their intervention to remove the Governor and restore the dignity of the Raj Bhavan.
Shanmuganathan's resignation as Governor of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh ​has been accepted bythe President Pranab Mukherjee.
A woman candidate who was appointed as a private assistant was in five months reappointed as a Public Relations Officer (PRO) at the Meghalaya Raj Bhavan, said a report.
The candidate was appointed as a PA on March 7, 2016, at a pay scale of Rs 6500 -Rs 12,700 per month, and then re-appointed as PRO on August 18, 2016, at a fixed monthly pay of Rs 30,000, report said.
One of the candidates also said that Shanmuganathan personally contacted more than one of them over the phone, calling for a “one-to-one interviews.”
Meanwhile, in a handwritten and signed note to NDTV, a woman has alleged that when she went for the interview, Shanmuganathan asked questions on her personal life and forcefully hugged and kissed her.
The Congress party has demanded the registration of an FIR against the governor for the nature of the complaint and allegations against him. "You have seen the case of Meghalaya governor. It is 'entertainment plus', it is a matter of shame. Our Prime Minister talks about principles, but he has not got an FIR registered against him. We have made a demand," Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal said.
Earlier another party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said though Shanmugunathan has resigned it was only after his party raised the demand for his sacking.