Sambalpur: Four second-year girl students of Sambalpuri dance department of Masters in Performing Art (MPA) of Sambalpur University Tuesday staged a hunger strike seeking stringent action against a lecturer who they have accused of sexual harassment.
Besides, they alleged that the vice-chancellor (VC) of the university tried to suppress the wrongdoings of the lecturer Manoj Kumar Behera. The accusation triggered resentment among the guardians and other local cultural bodies.
Meanwhile, VC Chittaranjan Tripathy held a meeting with a seven-member panel of Complaints Committee for Violence and Sexual Harassment against Women on the Campus to address the issue. The members heard the complaints of the victims separately after which the accused lecturer was also asked for his version. The students, however, termed the whole exercise as nothing more than eyewash. They opposed the attempt by the accused lecturer to apologize before the committee and continued with their strike seeking proper justice. The students threatened to lodge a complaint with Burla police against the lecturer and the VC if they failed to get justice.
According to the complaint, the lecturer harassed them in the first year with sexual innuendo and objectionable words during taking classes. The students did not disclose it and continued to tolerate his behaviour as the teacher threatened them to reduce their marks in the exams. The lectuerer also reportedly told the students that Sambalpuri dance was vulgar in nature and it has no future whatsoever so they should pursue a career in Odissi instead. Though the issue was raised earlier with the VC in a written complaint, it was not heeded to, they said.
Meanwhile, the teacher carried on with his misbehaviour and the girls again apprised the VC of it in February last week. Though VC Tripathy promised a probe into the matter, it didn’t happen. Left with no option, they decided to go ahead with the strike, the students said. PNN
