BSNL directs ex-employee-activist Fathima to vacate quarters

Kochi, Jun 30 () BSNL has served a notice asking controversial activist and its dismissed employee Rehana Fathima to vacate from its residential quarters here, citing the recent police raid on her house and registration of a POCSO case over a video posted by her on social media. The police action has 'tarnished' its image, the state- owned telecom major said. Fathima, who made a vain bid to enter the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in 2018, was booked last week after she posed semi-nude in front of her minor children, allowing them to paint on her bare body and sharing the video on social media. Police on June 25 had carried out a search at her house in the BSNL quarters at Panampilly Nagar as part of the probe in the case registered under various sections of POCSO Act and the IT Act by the city police.

The case was filed based on a report filed by Cyberdom, the cyber wing of Kerala police, for posting an "offensive" video titled "Body and Politics" on social media. "The above event tarnished the image of BSNL. Hence you are instructed to vacate the quarters within 30 days from the date of receipt of this notice, failing which further proceedings will be initiated for eviction", said the June 27 notice, copy of which has been made available to media.

As she ceased to be a BSNL employee, Fathima was ineligible to occupy the company quarters, it said. Fathima was sacked from employment by the BSNL in May this year for her intentional act of outraging the religious feelings of devotees through social media posts.

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had earlier sought a report from police on the video matter and said case should be registered against the woman under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The activist has last week moved the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail, apprehending arrest in the POCSO case. After the Supreme Court allowed women in traditionally barred age groups of 10-50 into the Sabarimala temple in September 2018, Fathima made an attempt to enter the hill shrine, but had to retreat following protests by Hindu activists and devotees. TGB VS VS