Delhi’s faculty of shame

Delhi University may soon become infamous for the sexual escapades of its male faculty members. The most recent case is against professor Ajay Kumar Tiwari of the Hindi Department, reports Swaha Sahoo.

Delhi University may soon become infamous for the sexual escapades of its male faculty members.

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Barely two months after the Executive Council of DU terminated the services of a teacher charged with sexual abuse, complaints of sexual harassment against other faculty members have poured in from different quarters.

The most recent case is against professor Ajay Kumar Tiwari of the Hindi Department. An MPhil student has alleged he sexually harassed her.

The College Complaints Committee (CCC) of Kirori Mal College is also investigating a complaint against a faculty of the political science department. “A guest lecturer had complained against a senior lecturer in July. The CCC is investigating the matter,” said a faculty member who did not wish to be named.

Meanwhile, students and teachers of Ramjas College on Thursday took out a march to protest the lack of action against B.N. Ray, former vice principal, who has been proven guilty of sexually harassing male students.

“If a case is under investigation we can understand. But Ray was proved guilty and he is enjoying pay without work,” said Kumar Rahul, senior faculty of Political Science at Ramjas.

At St Stephen’s College, an American student had accused Chandra Bhushan Jha of the Sanskrit department of sexual harassment in 2007. Although the CCC submitted its report in March 2008, the report has not been made public.

In early 2008, a reader of the geology department was accused of sexual harassment by one of his research students.

The delay and lack of seriousness in dealing with complaints has women and students worried.

A case in point is Atul Razdan, a mathematics teacher in South Campus who was terminated recently. “When the student first complained, accusing Razdan of sexual harassment, no one took her seriously,” said an English teacher in South Campus.

“It was only after she filed an FIR that the university form a committee to probe the matter,” she added. If the governing body or principal of a particular college does not take any action against the accused the Vice Chancellor should step in, she said.

While Vice Chancellor Deepak Pental was not available for comment, Dean Students Welfare S.K. Vij said it was up to the colleges to take action. “Either the governing body takes action or does not take action. One can appeal with the Apex Complaints Committee of the University,” said Vij.

He added colleges were bound under Ordinance XV- D to take action against anyone proven guilty.