Students of Jadavpur University staged a protest demanding the expulsion of Kanak Sarkar.
The students of Jadavpur University held a protest today demanding the immediate expulsion of a professor who compared a woman's virginity to a "sealed bottle" or "packet". The students, who came out in large numbers, said this was not the first time Kanak Sarkar has made misogynistic and regressive comments.
Mr Sarkar, a professor at the university's Department of International Relations, had written in a Facebook post that, "Virgin girl is like sealed bottle or sealed packet. Are you willing to buy broken seal while purchasing a bottle of cold drinks or a packet of biscuits...To most boys' virgin wife is like angel."
Mr Sarkar who has now deleted his Facebook account, stood by his statement and said the constitution guaranteed him the freedom of speech and expression. The comments were intended for "fun" among social media friends and "not for public consumption", news agency Press Trust of India had quoted him as saying.
On Monday, a journalist said that Mr Sarkar had once asked a female student if she wants to become a model as her "figure" is "very model-like" and hers was the kind of body that "men would enjoy". Students said that this should be the last time he is allowed to make such comments as a professor of the university.
Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das, who was not on campus today, has assured action.
Professor Omprakash Mishra said that they have set up student-teacher committee to probe the incident.
"The comments by Kanak Sarkar are highly condemnable. I am surprised how a teacher can make such comments. Professor Sarkar's Department of International Relations has set up committee. If the committee reports any misconduct by him, I will take necessary steps immediately according to rules," he told NDTV.
Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of the National Commission for Women, will meet the vice chancellor on Friday. In a letter addressed to the vice chancellor, they have asked for Mr Sarkar to depose before the Commission within 7 days.
Professor Omprakash Mishra, Head of the Department of International Relations, said the behavior of the professor in classrooms is to be evaluated and some action is expected by tomorrow afternoon.