3rd July 2017, Kolkata: Women Against Sexual Harassment [WASH] held a protest rally under the name ‘We Are Asking For It’ at Jadavpur University today against the sexual harassment policies of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute [SRFTI] and Jadavpur University [JU].
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| From the protest rally in Jadavpur. Picture: Harsh Doshi, Women Against Sexual Harassment |
The members of the organization assembled at World View in JU. Sexual Harassment Complainant Ekabali Ghosh* spoke about how JU has been mishandling a number of sexual harassment complaints. 3 complaints were lodged with the Internal Complaints Committee for Sexual Harassment [ICC-SH] in July, 2016 and 5 against another in May, 2017. JU had handed over the report of the enquiry which was commenced under Ekabali’s complaint earlier today. Ekabali pointed out how the report did not have a verdict and how the evidence from electronic media like phone conversations and social media were not taken into account by the ICC. She also spoke of how the report had mentioned that there were no eye witnesses to the incidents of harassment while in sexual harassment cases it was a common phenomenon that harassment happened in the absence of people.
The ICC report at JU recommends a sensitization programme but does not give a verdict on the charges leveled against the student. WASH has a copy of the report.
Kunjila*, complainant from SRFTI, spoke about how the power structures of educational institutes were working in connivance with the sexual harassers and were sanctioning harassment on campuses. She spoke of how the Director of SRFTI, Debamitra Mitra was harassing sexual harassment complainants and their parents. Kunjila said she was asked to leave her room in the hostel in hours in a manner which was unprecedented. She was forcefully made to leave her room with no means to pack ten cartons of luggage. She said she has lodged a complaint with the police regarding the harassment. There are two ICCs in SRFTI which is against the rules of the Sexual Harassment Act. Debamitra Mitra shares the same address as one of the professors who was found guilty of sexual harassment, she said. While it was usual for complainants to be told that they were ‘asking for it’, Kunjila said that it was time for the complainants to turn around and ask for it.
In SRFTI, complaints of sexual harassment were made in December, 2015. Four girls had made complaints against three professors and four against four students. ICC-SH had found all the three professors guilty. Two professors appealed against the verdict in Calcutta High Court. A second ICC was formed to look into the complaints against students.
The group then proceeded to VC’s chamber to discuss the issues holding placards saying ‘We Are Asking For It’, ‘Stop Sexual Harassment’ and ‘Where Is The Verdict?’ VC Suranjan Das has asked for the demands in writing within a period of 30 days. The gathering dispersed after discussing the further steps that can be taken in this regard and deciding to hold another meeting at SRFTI in the coming days.
*Names of complainants have been mentioned with their permission.
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