Recently, a case of sexual harrasment has been reported from the JNU campus. One of the accused is a member of AISA. A case has been registered with the Delhi Police against the accused. Read ahead to find out more.
Yet, in another turn of events, allegedly, a student affiliated with the left-wing All India Students’ Association (AISA) sexually assaulted a female student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). An unsigned public statement has been issued against the accused AISA member, Prasanna Raj Ambedkar. This public statement also held the student organisation responsible for ‘shielding’ the accused. In response to this, AISA has reportedly taken specific steps regarding the issue within their organisation. The organisation has expressed their unconditional solidarity with the complainant. They have also assured of being completely cooperative with the victim in her pursuit of the complaint to ensure justice serves.
The incident came to light before the organisation a few days back. As soon as it did, AISA acknowledged it and started its redressal process available within the organisation. They asserted that due to the absence of the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) on the campus, they raised the issue before their organisational GSCASH and are waiting for directions to take appropriate actions. The organisation assured that AISA GSCASH is founded on the principle that all organisations, including progressive left-wing organisations, need to acknowledge and act against sexism within the organisation and complaints of sexual harassment against the organisation’s members. Further, the accused has been asked not to participate in any organisational activity till enquiry on him is pending.
In an Instagram post, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) unit of JNU has condemned the “misogynist and patriarchal attitude of AISA and entire communist cabal and extend complete solidarity to all survivors.” They alleged that the incident took place on the Chandrabagha Hostel rooftop. According to them, two students, one from the Centre for Political Studies (CPS) and the other, a member of AISA, assaulted the female student and threatened her if she spoke out in public.
“Waving flags of feminism, they first lure students into their organisation under the garb of activism but when their very own activists perpetrate sexual crimes against women, they keep mum.”
-ABVP JNU unit
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeI_qClPsU8/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=
In demand for stringent actions against the alleged assaulters, ABVP JNU organised an ‘effigy burning’ of sexual assaulters of the communist cabal in Sabarmati Dhaba on 29 May 2022. According to them, the prominent left activists have misled survivors, defamed, gaslighted and even threatened them with dire consequences if they go ahead with their complaints.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeI_3k9vCc-/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=
A public statement made by a group of students from M.A. in Politics (with specialisation in International Studies) (PISM) batch of 2021-2023 alleged that the accused touched the student inappropriately without consent and grabbed her forcefully from behind, and continued the disgusting act. The students acknowledged the psychological and emotional trauma that a victim goes through and hence have appealed to the student community to stand in support of all the survivors..
https://twitter.com/Udbhavsharma29/status/1530571231841292288?t=t31Ai1A4DR__dksP6yr-Rg&s=08
On knowing about this incident, the secretary of the AISA JNU unit, Madhurima Kundu, sent a text message to the complainant regarding the issue. In the message, she insisted on meeting the affected person. However, the secretary assured that she would understand if the person did not want to. She also assured her that whatever her decision would be, the organisation would stand with her. Furthermore, Kundu explained the redressal mechanism present in the organisation. She assured that the AISA GSCASH had been founded on the principles upheld by the Supreme Court’s Vishakha Judgment of 1997 and GSCASH policies of universities like JNU and Ambedkar University of Delhi (AUD). An enquiry will be carried out on the accused, and according to the directions given by GSCASH, actions will be taken. Moreover, AISA GSCASH organises gender sensitisation programs from time to time. The activists are supposed to forward all the sexual harassment complaints to the committee and encourage the complainant to come forward and speak up.
In response to the unsigned pamphlet that, according to the secretary of AISA JNU, throws baseless allegations, Kundu questioned the writers of the pamphlet whether they had the complainant’s consent. The pamphlet accused the organisation of not supporting the affected person and alleged that the person in question had been seen offering assistance at the convention centre while wearing the organisation’s badge. While defending the organisation, Madhurima quoted the solidarity text and the organisation’s support to the complainant. In response to the latter part of the accusation, the secretary claimed that most organisation members had been offering assistance to the students at the convention centre, but the accused was not present.
“And, we would ask the writers of this unsigned document to produce a piece of evidence that substantiates their claim. To the best of our collective knowledge, the accused was never seen offering assistance wearing AISA badges.”
–Madhurima Kundu, Secretary, AISA JNU unit
Additionally, the organisation appealed to the student community to strengthen the fight for a gender sensitised campus. According to them, the mechanism to provide justice to the victims has been severely affected since the forceful dismantling of GSCASH, which has been replaced by the politically dictated Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
In such a scenario, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that a complete zero tolerance to sexual harassment is ensured and sexism is countered at every step of our campus life.”
–AISA
In recent developments, a case has been registered at Vasant Kunj Police Station following the complaint of molestation from the student. The accused has joined the investigation.
https://twitter.com/DelhiPolice/status/1530838179233734656?t=KR10ejpMtJcI40V0aYZ6fQ&s=08
Read Also: Students Protest Against the Police Inaction in JNU’s Sexual Violence Case
Multiple Accusations of Sexual Misconduct Against A Doctoral Student from JNU
Featured image: The Statesman
Ankita Baidya
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