Examiner Bureau | Ganderbal:
The Central University of Kashmir (CUK) has relieved an Associate Professor heading its Department of Chemistry of all departmental and official responsibilities following student protests over allegations of repeated lewd and objectionable remarks towards female students.
Dr Chinnappan Bhaskar has been attached to the office of the Dean Academic Affairs and relieved of his responsibilities, including as Head of the Department of Chemistry, pending further orders from the competent authority.
As an interim arrangement, the university has nominated Assistant Professor Dr Prashant Kumar Gupta as Coordinator of the Department of Chemistry.
The action followed a protest by scores of female students at the university’s Nunar campus in Ganderbal district on October 1. The protest was triggered after a woman student allegedly accused Bhaskar of using vulgar language and making inappropriate remarks in the classroom.
The university has ordered two separate inquiries into the allegations. One inquiry will be conducted by its Internal Committee, while another special inquiry committee has been constituted on the directions of Vice-Chancellor A Ravinder Nath.
Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir told reporters that the university took immediate administrative action after being informed about the protests.
“The professor has been relieved of all departmental and official assignments with immediate effect,” Mir was quoted as saying, adding that appropriate action would be taken if the allegations of sexual harassment were established.
He said a formal written complaint from the student was still awaited, but the Vice-Chancellor ordered the faculty member’s attachment after learning about the protests.
“There are allegations that he used abusive language in class. Harassment often begins with basic behaviour like staring. I have urged students to immediately report such instances to the Internal Complaints Committee,” Mir said.
The university has also asked students who may have faced any form of harassment to appear before the Internal Committee and record their statements.
Students have alleged that the professor repeatedly made objectionable remarks towards female students. One allegation concerns a comment about a woman student’s physical appearance, followed by an alleged invitation to go on a date. A protesting student also alleged that the professor warned the student against lodging a complaint.
CUK Students’ Union spokesperson Yasir Wani alleged that the Head of Department had repeatedly made inappropriate remarks towards students and claimed that he had made comments suggesting that he viewed female students as his “girlfriends and wives”.
Wani further alleged that the professor threatened to adversely affect students’ marks and degrees, and demanded his termination.
Another protesting student alleged that the teacher had made explicit comments directed at the student who raised the latest allegation, saying such behaviour had made students uncomfortable in the classroom.
The allegations have not been established. The university’s inquiries are expected to determine the facts and examine whether any provisions relating to sexual harassment or other misconduct have been violated.
Police were also informed about the protest. Ganderbal Superintendent of Police Sudhanshu Dhama said police personnel remained present on the campus to maintain law and order, but no formal complaint had been lodged for registration of a first information report.
The protesting students also alleged that chemistry students were initially prevented from leaving the department during the demonstration and that the student at the centre of the allegations was under pressure not to approach the police.
The students subsequently decided to pursue the matter through the university’s internal mechanism.
The university order stated that Bhaskar’s attachment and relief from departmental responsibilities would remain in force “pending further orders from the competent authority”.
The development has brought renewed attention to mechanisms available in higher educational institutions for reporting allegations of sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct.
The university’s immediate task will be to ensure that the two inquiries examine the allegations independently and that students who come forward are able to record their statements without fear of academic or administrative repercussions.
