A chemistry student at Delhi University has accused an assistant professor at St Stephen's College of sexual harassment and alleged that Principal Valson Thampu tried to protect him. This is Rev Thampu's response.
Bad news for those who want to revel at the expense of the College.
To begin with - I would like to clarity that the complainant is not a student of St Stephen's College. She's a registered research student of Delhi University. Her research guide happens to be a faculty member at Stephen's. As per regulations of the college, research students who come to labs are required to sign an attendance register which the complainant utterly refused to do.
(1) 10 December 2014. The complainant meets the Principal with the grievance that Dr. Satish Kumar, her research guide, subjected her to sexual harassment in 2013. She complains further that Dr. Kumar was not taking any interest in her research work. The Principal advises her to file a complaint with the Internal Complaints Committee, a statutory body meant to address such cases. The complainant resolutely refuses to do so, saying all she wants is to earn her Ph.D degree and the Principal should help her in this respect. She tells the Principal that her father and sister want to meet with him and an appointment is granted.
(3) A few days later the Principal calls a meeting of the complainant and the accused at which both agree on completing the work latest by the end of July 2015. The complainant does not utter a word about sexual harassment. The Principal also offers to the complainant that he could see if a different guide could be secured for her. The complainant insists on completing the remaining research with Dr. Kumar.
(5) On January 10 2015, the complainant meets with the Principal with a handwritten request reiterating the request made on the previous day (9. 1. 2015) "not to pass on the document to the internal complaints committee of the College" as she needs "time to re-think". Requests the Principal to wait till she files another written statement. The Principal tells her it is impossible to wait indefinitely. Gives her three days to make up her mind. At this stage the complainant reveals that she had filed a complaint of sexual harassment with the University Department. She wanted to go and withdraw the same.
Ironically, the complaint was filed not by the complainant but by the Principal. Yet he is accused of shielding the culprit and brain-washing the victim.
It is absolutely certain that the complainant, on her own, would not have made these wild allegations against the College or the Principal. Fortunately many people know the forces playing behind all these. As the old proverb goes, a wolf in wolf's clothing is not as dangerous as a wolf in sheep's clothing. The clothing is question is already like the Emperor's clothes. It is completely see-through.
As usual, any rumour about St. Stephen's is a media goldmine. It is this that encourages certain unscrupulous elements (here I am NOT referring to the complainant) to seek sadistic media limelight at the expense of the college.
(Valson Thampu is the Principal of St Stephen's College, University of Delhi.)
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