The English department at the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) which has been facing several protests against the alleged “bad quality” of teaching staff and lack of transparency in the appointment process of the assistant professors is in the limelight again. Two female students have filed a police complaint against the department alleging threats and harassment.
Police inspector Bhaskar Jadhav, Chatuhshrungi police station on Saturday confirmed that they have received a complaint from two female students about the hostile environment in the SPPU’s department of English.
He said, “The dispute appears to be a departmental problem and should be handled by higher authorities of the SPPU.”
In their complaint, the two students of Master of Arts (MA) (English), Udity Paralikar and Aneri Patel, allege that they were singled out, mentally harassed and even discriminated against by the head of the department of English.
The head of the department, Ashok Chaskar, confirmed that there were protests against the newly appointed assistant professors, Nisha Gosavi and Sudhakar Ahire and said that he held a meeting with the students to discuss and find a solution. “I had called a meeting of all the students of Master of Arts (MA) English and 100 of them were present with their problems and complaints, which were discussed. After discussing and presenting the complaint letter, received from the students, to the vice-chancellor and pro vice-chancellor, I resolved the problem by bringing in visiting faculty to help facilitate the students’ demand,” said Chaskar.
“The problem was resolved amicably. No where have I discriminated against a student nor have I received a letter about this new problem,” said Chaskar.
{{/usCountry}}“The problem was resolved amicably. No where have I discriminated against a student nor have I received a letter about this new problem,” said Chaskar.
{{/usCountry}}The students allege that the events that have transpired at the department of English, SPPU, have been systematically hushed by the authorities. One such incident happened on March 29, during a meeting with the head of the department, Ashok Chaskar, when, the students said they were discriminated against.
One of the students’ post on the students’ forum on Facebook drew protests from a section of her classmates, primarily men, who demanded that the posts be removed as they were personal.
“We had an exchange of angry words and fearing for our safety we went to the women’s cell,” Udity said.
The protesting students said that they submitted a letter to the vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor, registrar, women’s cell of SPPU and Chatuhshrungi police station on April 1, 2019, however, nothing had been done till now.