Image courtesy: Mid-day.com
University of Mumbai's Students Grievance Redressal Committee, (SGRC), has asked the JJ School of Arts to relieve Professor John Douglas, Professor of Creative Painting, School of Fine Arts, on the basis of complaints received from final year students.
Asking the college to conduct an enquiry and submit a report to the University of Mumbai within one month, the SGRC has asked for Douglas to be discharged of his official duties and relieved of examination work if found guilty.
The SGRC has also asked for suitable action to be taken against the students who have complained, if they themselves are found guilty of wrongdoing.
A final year student said, "Douglas would ask us to run errands. When we refused he'd threaten to fail us. He was also in the habit of distributing money to first year students to earn their favour. Douglas would constantly discourage us and tell us how bad our paintings were."
Students are sure they will either fail or will scrape by with a pass class percentage for this move. But they say they have taken this step for the sake of future Arts students.
Sources added, "This is not the first time that Douglas has harassed people. Masters students had also complained against him earlier this year. In fact, two Masters students even left the college, and one left the course midway because the harassment got unbearable."
Another final year student added, "He would discourage students and threaten them with statements like, "I'll take care of you". He even saw me as competition, and told me as much. He would not let us paint unless we painted things his way. In fact, even after the SGRC order, college authorities have called him for meetings. We have proof."
Douglas declined to comment, saying: "I don't want to comment on the matter since it is with SGRC and the college Dean."
When contacted, Manisha Patil, Dean, School of Fine Arts, declined to comment but said authorities were investigating the matter and a report would be prepared soon.