UP govt, V-C order probe into BHU violence

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow/New Delhi, September 26 

The Banaras Hindu University ordered a probe into recent campus protests that turned violent hours after the state government announced a judicial inquiry on Tuesday.

The university’s controversial vice-chancellor GS Tripathi, who has been accused of having failed to respond appropriately to the incident of sexual harassment that triggered the protest, said retired high court judge BS Dixit would head the panel.

Hours before, the Uttar Pradesh government ordered a judicial probe into the incident. 

The development comes as the chorus for action against the police action taken on protesting students grow louder.

Opposition, academicians and activists have demanded suspension of Varanasi VP and DIG for the action.

In a signed letter addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the ex-officio Visitor of Universities, Varanasi MP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as state Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath, the letter demanded accountability of the BHU authorities as “students are living and studying within the University premises and their safety has to be guaranteed by the head of the institution”.  

The letter deplores the reaction of the BHU Vice-Chancellor to the peaceful protest by forcibly shutting down all girls hostels till October 2.

By the action he is “literally throwing the girls out. Hostel administrations have been instructed to call guardians of the girls to mention that the hostels are shut down and that anyone who stays back should do that at their own risk, and the University administration will not be responsible,” points out the letter.

Following are the demands listed in the letter:

—Ensure strict legal action against those responsible for the harassment faced by the student concerned

—Make provisions of lighting up all the dark zones and spots of the University campus

—Continuous patrolling of security guards

—Gender sensitization of administrative staff and teaching faculty

—Provision for hostels for girls

—Abolition of curfew timings in girls’ hostels

—Formation of Gender Sensitization and Sexual Harassment Committee

—Recruitment of women security personnel

—Inclusion of female functionaries in Proctorial board

—Equality in food offered in hostels of boys and girls

—Installation of CCTV cameras in prominent spots 

The letter has been signed among others by Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shankar Singh, (MKSS), Abha Bhaiya( Jagori) Kavita Srivastava, (PUCL), Arundhati Dhuru ( NAPM), Apoorvanand, Mukul Mangalik,  Rajni Palriwala ,Satish Deshpande( Delhi University) Nivedita Menon, Ayesha Kidwai,  Brinda Bose (Jawaharlal Nehru University) Shoba Ghosh( Mumbai University) Mary E John, Centre for Women Studies Harsh Mander.  (With agencies)