Suicides at NIT 'shameful and painful': Haryana Women Commission chairperson

The Haryana State Commission for Women (HSCW) Chairperson Renu Bhatia today termed the suicide cases at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), ‘shameful and painful’, and said that the commission will invite the students to raise their concerns.

Bhatia today reached NIT Kurukshetra and held a meeting with the officials of the NIT administration regarding the recent suicide cases at the institute.

She said it was a matter of concern that how four intelligent students took the extreme step, and said, “The matter came to our notice that four students have taken the extreme step and another girl attempted suicide. We also came to know that students wanted the commission to visit the institute to investigate the issues. I will discuss the issues with the officials and a further decision will be taken accordingly. These issues are sensitive and directly linked to the future of the children. We will also invite the students of NIT to come forward and raise their concerns with the commission.”

“Students come here to build their future and the parents also make sacrifices to send their children to the institute. It was shameful and sad to see such things happening with students. We will try to contact the parents of the children who have taken the extreme step. The team has also assessed the atmosphere at the NIT to determine whether the environment is safe for students. A final decision regarding the matter will be taken only after holding discussions with all concerned parties,” she said.

An official at NIT Kurukshetra said that the chairperson inquired about all four suicide cases and whatever information she sought was provided. No direction has been received from the commission so far.

Earlier, Renu Bhatia presided over a meeting of the Local Complaints Committee and the Internal Complaints Committee constituted under PoSH act in Kurukshetra, where she reviewed complaints received at the district level at the Mini Secretariat.

Renu Bhatia stated that female officers should become fearless and competent, raising their voices against any wrongful actions, words or conduct directed at women. Instead of suppressing instances of misconduct faced by their junior colleagues, they should guide such matters in the right direction.

To raise awareness among women officers and employees — across all departments of the district — regarding their rights, a mega camp will be organised in Kurukshetra on May 26.

The Chairperson said that a committee has been constituted in every office to address women's grievances. If a female employee or officer fails to receive a hearing from that specific committee, there is a provision to file a complaint with a committee constituted at the district level by the Deputy Commissioner.

Expressing dissatisfaction, she said, “In Kurukshetra, the district-level committee has been operational since 2020. Over the past six years, the committee has received only one complaint. Both parties involved in this complaint were contacted via telephone, and both will be summoned to the office for further inquiry, as they have already been transferred to other districts. As a chairperson, I am not satisfied that only one complaint was received in six years.”

Speaking to mediapersons, Renu Bhatia said, “The women's commission will never allow any person to use wrong words against women. Singer Masoom Sharma was summoned over alleged verbal abuse during a college event in Dehradun. He didn’t turn up on the given date, following which the commission has decided to give him another opportunity, and if failed, further action will be taken accordingly. Sanjay Dutt and Nora Fatehi had also crossed all the limits of vulgarity in a song ‘Sarke Chunar’.”