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| Presidency University, Kolkata. Credit: University Website |
In May, WASH wrote to the dean of students of Presidency University, Mr Arunkumar Maity, in the light of the fact that a student facing sexual harassment charges had appeared for an entrance exam at the University. WASH wanted to let Presidency university be aware of the fact that the case was still under investigation by the Jadavpur University Internal Complaints Committee for Sexual Harassment [ICC-SH]. We appealed that while it was true that anybody could appear for exams or interviews, in case the student was admitted, Presidency waited till the verdict was out.
WASH did not get a reply to this e-mail.
In July, the complainant was given a report by the ICC-SH, Jadavpur University. It did not have a verdict and stated that the complainant had exceeded the time limit allowed to submit a complaint as the reason for it. When students and WASH protested, the VC gave a month's time to submit the grievances from the complainants'.
While the complainant(s) were preparing their appeal against the ICC report and the reasons why its conduct has been extremely anti-complainants, it was reported that the accused student was spotted in Presidency University and also that he had got admission.
WASH contacted Mr. Maity. He said that he had seen the letter that we had sent in May. He then said that he could do something about the student only after talking to the ICC-SH at Presidency University. He also said that the Jadavpur University ICC had not found the boy guilty. When WASH told him that the matter was not yet closed, he reiterated that he would have to speak with the ICC Chairperson. He also asked us to resend the letter we had send earlier. On 7th July, 2017, we sent the letter again, this time with media reports on the sexual harassment case and charges against the student.
WASH contacted ICC Chairperson, Presidency University, Ms Mousumi Dutta to appeal to her that holding the position, she be sympathetic to the cause of women. We requested her to advice the Dean in the same manner when he asked her opinion on the matter. She told WASH that the registrar was the person who decided matters regarding admission. When WASH said that we had already spoken to the Dean and that he had said that he would seek advice from the ICC, she said she couldn't take any decision on a matter that transpired in Jadavpur University. When we repeated that we were only asking her to be sympathetic to the emotions of a sexual harassment complainant, she again asked us to speak to the Dean and the registrar.
The students' union in Presidency University has expressed solidarity with the complainant. WASH has come to know that despite our appeals, the accused has been admitted to Presidency University. This also makes Jadavpur University's proceedings increasingly murky. JU had said that the student's certificates would be held back, following multiple complaints of sexual harassment. If the student is being admitted in Presidency University, it either means that he had been admitted without certificates or that Jadavpur University has released his certificates even when the enquiry into cases against him is not over.
It seems that for sexual harassment complainants, every day poses a new challenge.
Update: A newspaper article from today states that the accused was given the certificates by a court order.
Earlier, the post was published without the question mark at the end in the title. The error is regretted.
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