Achi news desk-
AIFF logo (credit: twitter)
Bhattacharjee wrote to the Prime Minister’s Office expressing grave concern about the “unsafe environment” for female staff at the head office of the game’s governing body.
Days after a woman who worked at the Football House, the headquarters of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) here, lodged a verbal complaint of ‘harassment’ against a male colleague, wrote Nilanjan Bhattacharjee, legal adviser and lost to the AIFF, to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) expressing great concern about the “unsafe environment” for female staff at the head office of the game’s governing body.
“In furtherance of my earlier letter dated February 3, 2024, I would also like to bring to your attention the following developments plaguing Indian football, courtesy the sincere efforts of the Acting President, the current Vice President, the Treasurer , and the Deputy General Secretary, who performs the functions of the post of General Secretary of Indian football,” Bhattacharjee wrote in the letter.
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“It has been brought to my attention the case of a female employee of AIFF being sexually insulted by an employee from the administrative department of AIFF. In this way, it has to be further noted that such a case appears to have taken place in February 2024 and such was informed to President Kalyan Choubey and Deputy General Secretary Satyanarayan. However, it is alleged that they both tried to silence the relationship, not to provide the necessary support and assistance to that victim,” he claimed.
While the alleged victim in the latest case is yet to press formal charges in the matter, the allegations may add to the embarrassment of the AIFF which is already battling accusations of financial irregularities.
To recall, the Federation formed an Internal Complaints Committee under the provision of Chapter II (4.1) of the Sexual Harassment of Women in the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redress) Act 2013, in January this year.
In his letter, Bhattacharjee also claimed that due to the ‘corrupt’ and ‘disreputable’ administration in the AIFF, there has been a constant ‘brain drain’ with the best of the staff leaving the football body.
“Efforts are being made to buckle qualified staff under pressure to serve the interests of some people,” he claimed.
“Although I know that efforts will be made to silence me, I sincerely believe that with the matter being brought to the attention of your good office, active and remedial steps will surely come as millions of Indians look up to the same,” concluded Bhattacharjee, who was recently dismissed from his post after he leveled serious allegations of financial irregularities against AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey and others.
