Delhi Universityâ??s sexual harassment case: No action

NI Wire

New Delhi

Mon, 06 Aug 2007: 

Aug 06: Charges of sexual harassment against a professor of Delhi University came as a shock in view of our cultural values of seeing teacher as our ideal and a person of song character but more shocking has been the silence of the authorities on this act.

There are apparent attempts to push the incident back in faint memory.

Despite the protest of his remaining in his positions as director of Gandhi Bhavan, dean of social sciences and head of the department of political science by his colleagues and the members of democratic teachers front (DTF), he continues in his positions. Thanks to the vice-chancellor who went to the extent of violating the statutes and ordinances to calm down the phenomenon.

Any attempt to make him step down has failed.

Earlier academic council demanded his removal till the committee’s report is pending but what the irony that he still holds the post even after the committee has submitted its report to the VC in June which some say that asked the debarring the dean from his positions and found him guilty of the sexual harassment. Even DUTA has expressed disappointment on the apathy the VC has shown even after the enquiry committee has submitted the report.

In April an employee of Gandhi Bhavan, Anamika Sharma submitted a complaint to VC alleging about her victimization of verbal assault by the director of the Bhavan. She was constantly receiving pressure to take her complaint back.

His debar from the post of HoD of political science was demanded by his colleagues on the ground that his presence hampering the functioning of the department but nothing happened till yet even when the report of the enquiry committee set up by the university’s apex Complaints Committee is on the table of the VC.