India is no stranger to the casting couch in politics. Politicians are often accused of taking advantage of their position to assault women sexually with impunity. Last year, the Congress leader from Karnataka, H.Y. Meti, and the Aam Aadmi Party leader, Sandeep Kumar, were forced to resign from their posts after they were accused of sexual misconduct. Therefore, the allegation against the former governor of Meghalaya, V. Shanmuganathan, that he molested a woman who went to the Raj Bhavan seeking a job does not seem surprising. He has also been accused by the staff of the Raj Bhavan of turning the place into a 'ladies club' where young women "come and go at will with direct orders from the Governor". Although it is welcome news that Mr Shanmuganathan resigned from office following protests and a signature campaign seeking his removal by activists of the Civil Society Women's Organization and Thma U Rangli, perhaps it is too early to celebrate.

When politicians are charged with crimes against women it often seems that greater the political clout the fewer the chances of punishment. For instance, a Congress leader and the prime accused in the Jalgaon rape case, Pandit Omkar Sapkale, was acquitted after four years in jail, but the accusations of sexual harassment by Saritha Nair against Oommen Chandy, the former chief minister of Kerala, were not even taken seriously. Moreover, questions of fair inquiry and justice for the woman are often overlaid by mutual accusations of conspiracy between political parties. In the case of the former governor of Meghalaya, the charge was labelled a political ploy by the Opposition, for it was supposed to deflect attention from a politician supporting the Congress, Julius Dorphang, who is accused of raping a minor. It is no surprise that the Union minister of state for home affairs, Kiren Rijiju, ruled out a probe into the allegations against Mr Shanmuganathan citing lack of documentary evidence. Fielding candidates facing charges of crimes against women, watching pornography in the assembly, sexually harassing women politicians and political workers are part of the existing political culture. Apart from the crude attitude towards women this exhibits, it also demonstrates the poor implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act. The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to launch anti-Romeo squads in Uttar Pradesh to protect women, but what about the Romeos within?