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CM Stalin promises probe as Kalakshetra stir brews
The students began their protest on the campus on Thursday, demanding action against four faculty members accused of sexual harassment.
As students at Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, run by Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, continued to protest for a second consecutive day against alleged sexual harassment by four faculty members, Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Friday assured legal action against those found guilty in the matter.
“As soon as the issue regarding Kalakshetra Foundation, which is functioning under the Union government’s ministry of culture, was brought to my attention, I contacted the district collector to know more details,” Stalin said in the state assembly.
“As far as the government is concerned, after a proper investigation, if there is truth in the complaints, we will definitely take legal action against the wrongdoers,” he added.
The chief minister also said that a police team, including the joint police commissioner and deputy police commissioner of Chennai, visited the college campus to probe the matter. For the protection of the protesting students, a police team led by a woman police officer has been stationed in Kalakshetra.
The students began their protest on the campus on Thursday, demanding action against four faculty members accused of sexual harassment. Tamil Nadu Women’s Commission chairperson A S Kumari told HT that the panel received nearly 100 complaints from students on Friday.
“There must be close to 90-100 complaints. The students complained of sexual and mental harassment by the accused faculty members,” she said.
The students wrote to Union culture minister G Kishahn Reddy and Stalin, seeking removal of Kalakshetra director Revathi Ramachandran for alleged inaction in their complaints.
Read here: Stalin calls mega Opposition meet in Chennai next week
On Thursday, Kalakshetra announced closure of Rukmini Devi Fine Arts College till April 6 and directed the students to vacate hostels within two days.
Additional commissioner of police (Chennai South) Prem Anand Sinha said police are yet to receive a written complaint in the matter. “Last night there was a commotion, so the director was taken to the hospital (after she felt dizzy). Senior officials spoke to the students till 2am. If we receive a written complaint, we will start a criminal investigation,” he said.
On March 19, Kalakshetra had said that an internal complaints committee (ICC) suo moto initiated an investigation and found no truth in the complaints.
A few staff, who are not victims, also supported the students’ complaints. “They said that this has been going on for years since 2008 but whenever they complained the management did not take action,” Kumari said. “The director and the deputy director were not present so I spoke to the Principal. I will speak to the director tomorrow. The students are very upset. I spoke to them at midnight to tell them to go back to their hostels and assured them that I will come today. I spoke to 12 students directly and five students on Zoom. Several women students have complained about four people. Only one student has retracted her complaint. Three alumni also spoke to me. I have asked the students to stop the protests and go back to their hostels to study for their exams which begin on Monday. 90% of them are in the hostel. I gave them confidence that this government will take the right action.”
On March 25, Kalakshetra released a statement that they have requested the NCW to consider the action already taken and welcome further enquiry if not satisfied. “During the last few months, a scurrilous campaign is being carried out through social media posts casting aspirations on the functioning of Kalakshetra Foundation, and targeting some members of faculty and also malingering the institution’s credibility,” the Foundation said on March 25.
Countering their response, Carnatic musician T M Krishna on March 27 wrote an open letter addressed to Kalakshetra’s chairman S Ramadorai. “The lack of sensitivity, the aggressive tone, and the dismissiveness is unbecoming,” Krishna had said in his letter. “I am also shocked that in some quarters this is being turned into an attack on the institution and sullied with political/religious insinuations.” Krishna urged the Kalakshetra chairman to take action to address “these very serious complaints.”
Later, students withdrew their protest, people in the know of the matter said.
