Shillong,Nov. 3: The Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) today said that it would soon file a complaint against the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) for its alleged failure to implement the Sexual Harassment Act 2013.
“We condemn the NEHU, a central university for its refusal to notify an Internal Complaints Committee in its various campuses and departments,” TUR leader Angela Rangad said in a statement issued here on Friday.
She also said, “TUR shall be filing a complaint about NEHU and the Women’s Cell for not implementing the Sexual Harassment Act 2013. Even its website does not even have a section devoted to its Sexual Harassment measures.”
According to her, setting up of a formal ICC was also demanded by NEHU Students Union.
Stating that the University has again willfully failed its students in protecting them from Sexual Harassment in this institution, Rangad said the NEHU, Tura Campus saw a protest by its students calling for action against Prof SC Srivastava of the Department of Rural Development and Agricultural Production for sexually harassing his students.
She alleged that the students had collectively made a complaint to the authorities regarding his harassment but no action ensued.
“One of the victims had also filed a complaint to the Women’s Cell of the university situated in Shillong, but the women’s cell refused to help the victim or initiate any action or process in the case by merely saying that the victim did not provide any ‘evidence’,” she said.
The TUR leader said that in absence of the ICC it hides behind a toothless Women’s Cell which has time and again failed the victims of Sexual Harassment in the University.
Even in an earlier complaint against a professor in the university, the matter became more complicated because the women’s cell not having jurisdiction under the law took up the matter but their recommendations not being backed by law were challenged, she said.
TUR stands in solidarity with the victims of sexual harassment in NEHU and especially women who have stood up to complain and vows to bring the perpetrators to book, she added.