What has been the response of the administration to the alleged sexual harassment in the third best university in India – Banaras Hindu University?
None whatsoever. The students have been protesting continuously for the last two days against the alleged incident of sexual harassment which took place. The apathy of the administration is completely apparent in the inability of the respected Vice-Chancellor GC Tripathi to meet the protesters. According to a report in The Hindu, VC Tripathi said, “I have been asking them for a written complaint since morning but got nothing from them. We are ready to take action but let the students approach us first. They are staging a dharna on the street.” However, the students demanded that the VC come and meet them at the protest site.
A woman was allegedly sexually harassed by two men outside her hostel at around 6 pm on September 21. It was on the eve of the Prime Minister’s visit to Varanasi. The student has also alleged that when she informed the incident to the hostel warden, her character was also questioned. The student, shocked at the insensitivity of the administration, decided to stage a protest. The protests have continued from September 21 to date but the administration has failed to give a satisfactory response to the protesters. Some of the people support the protests but others have started character shaming the girls saying “shaving off her head was a publicity stunt.”
The biggest question is why the conditions have deteriorated so much, leading to the inability of the administration to tackle problems of sexual harassment of women on their own campus?
“Jab bachegi nahi beti, tab padhegi kaise beti?” (If the girl is not alive, how will she study?)
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