500 female students write to PM Modi, Haryana CM claiming sexual assault by university professor
Sirsa/Haryana: Five hundred female college students from Haryana's Sirsa have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, and Chief Minister ML Khattar, accusing a professor at the Chaudhary Devi Lal University of sexual harassment and demanded his suspension, as well as an inquiry led by a retired High Court judge.
Copies of the letter have also been sent to Vice Chancellor Ajmer Singh Malik, Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij, and National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma, as well as senior state government officials and select media organisations.
The letter accuses the professor of "filthy and obscene acts".
According to the letter, the professor is accused of calling girls to his office, taking them to a bathroom, and then "touching private parts, and (does) obscene things with us".
The girls said that when they protested, they were threatened with "very bad" consequences.
The letter claims this has been going on "for many months" and, "... because he gives a false impression of a person of high character", the professor in question has never been held accountable.
The girls also claimed the Vice Chancellor, rather than come to their aid, "threatened to expel us... because this professor is a person of immense political influence..."
The Vice Chancellor also tried to suppress the allegations by offering the girls better marks in written and practical examinations.
The university's Registrar, Dr Rajesh Kumar Bansal, confirmed receipt of the anonymous letter.
In the letter, the girls, who had chosen not to reveal their identities fearing "dishonour" to their families, said they do not expect action against the professor till the university is "forced" by public opinion.
The letter also calls for a probe by a retired High Court judge.