SFS slammed for its statement on sexual harassment

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 16

A statement by Students for Society (SFS) over the sexual harassment of one of its members has drawn flak from Panjab University’s left-wing parties like the PSU (Lalkaar) and the Student Federation of India (SFI).

About a week ago, a city-based poet and one of the members associated with SFS had accused another party member of sexual harassment on Facebook. Soon after, the accused was expelled from the party. However, a statement by the SFS on Thursday evoked some sharp reactions, with the PSU (Lalkaar) and SFI condemning the “feudal moral values” of the group.

The SFS’ executive committee in its statement had said: “In the name of ‘freedom’, imperialist culture introduces various trends like pre-marital sex, live-in relations, multiple relations, etc., which ultimately result in the exploitation of women.”

PSU (Lalkaar) retorted: “The report denounces many issues of civil liberties as imperialist culture. If a man and a woman have consensual sex before marriage, it is their democratic human right. State power, society or anyone else has no right to interfere in their personal matter.”

“Similarly, living together without marriage is also a question of free choice of citizens. This is, by no means, an imperialist culture.”

PSU (Lalkaar) further stated: “To condemn issues of pre-marital sex and the right of men and women to engage in live-in relationship as imperialist culture shows that the SFS leadership is yet to do away with feudal moral values themselves.”

SFI member Abhilash Rajkhowa said: “In this era when a lot of people are trying to tackle the regressive norms of patriarchy and feudalism, a statement which speaks against pre-marital sex or live-in relationship, and calls them imperial policies harming women, is nothing but a clear indication of the fact that people are yet to liberate themselves from these age old demons.”

“The group (SFS) even gave a free hand to the person who’s accused of sexually harassing many girls. I hope they wake up and join the battle against rampant rise in crime against women and more significantly, in the war against patriarchy and feudalism,” Rajkhowa added.