On February 8, 2008 Sahiyar (Stree Sangathan) along with
teachers, students and concerned citizens of Baroda organised a public
demonstration on the recent gang rape of a Dalit girl at Patan’s PTC
college, demanding justice for the victim and demanding the setting up of
a committee on sexual harassment in each workplace and every educational
institution i.e. schools, colleges, universities, ashram shalas,
hostels, etc, and particularly in all the faculties, institutions,
projects, hostels, run by the Maharaja Sayajirao (MS) University of
Baroda.
Activists of Sahiyar (Stree Sangathan), All India
Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO), Mahila Sanskritik Sangathan,
Jyoti Karmachari Mandal and students and teachers of the MS University and
some other colleges participated in the demonstration.
A signature campaign was carried out on the MS University
campus over three days for the demand to set up a committee in accordance
with the Supreme Court judgement dated August 13, 1997 in writ petition
(criminal) Nos. 666-70 of 1992, Vishaka & Ors vs State of Rajasthan &
Ors. So far, over 800 signatures have been collected from students and
teachers. During the signature campaign a palpable anger was noticed among
students on the issue and a large number of students felt that a committee
on sexual harassment should be instituted at the MSU. The signature
campaign will continue on the MSU campus and in various areas of the city.
Some excerpts from the leaflet:
The shocking and intolerable incidents of gang rape of a
Dalit student in PTC College, Patan raises several questions regarding the
situation of women and other marginalised groups in educational
institutions in Gujarat. The state of affairs in mushrooming self-financed
colleges in Gujarat is also a major concern. The extreme situation faced
by the girl in this case could have been avoided if there was a mechanism
to prevent and handle cases of sexual violence on campus.
The 1997 Supreme Court judgement in the case of Vishaka
& Ors vs State of Rajasthan & Ors stated that all workplaces should
have a committee to prevent and handle cases of sexual violence. The
judgement also provides guidelines for such a committee.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) had also sent
directions to all universities in this regard. Several universities, Delhi
University, Bombay University, Hyderabad University, JNU, etc, have such
committees against sexual harassment on campus. At the Maharaja Sayajirao
University of Baroda, the demand for such a committee was put forward by
the ‘University Forum for Women’ when Dr Padma Ramchandran was vice
chancellor. All the preliminary work and the guidelines for such a
committee were prepared by a group of academicians. But subsequent vice
chancellors did not bother to institute such a committee according to the
Supreme Court and UGC guidelines. As and when a case of sexual harassment
comes up the authorities deal with it without any proper mechanism, which
is contrary to the guidelines.
It is high time that all teachers, students and
non-teaching staff come together and demand a committee according to the
Supreme Court guidelines.
We demand
1. A thorough inquiry in the case of repeated gang rape
and sexual exploitation of girls in the PTC College, Patan and immediate
and stern steps against all involved.
2. Immediate steps should be taken against the principal
and college management who failed to take necessary action on receiving
the complaint. Investigation into their collusion with the accused and
collusion of any other political leaders, including the ex-education
minister or other ministers, must be undertaken immediately and stern
action should be taken against all those found guilty.
3. The government of Gujarat must immediately implement
the Supreme Court guidelines stated in the case of Vishaka & Ors vs
State of Rajasthan & Ors and ensure that complaints committees against
sexual harassment are established in each workplace and every educational
institution i.e. schools, colleges, universities, ashram shalas,
hostels, etc.
4. As given in the guidelines, the complaints committee
must be headed by a woman and at least one of the members should be from a
reputed NGO, who is familiar in dealing with cases of sexual harassment.
5. The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda must
immediately establish a complaints committee against sexual harassment as
per the guidelines given in the Vishaka judgement and by the UGC.
6. Committees should be established in all faculties,
institutions, projects, hostels, run by the university and should include
representatives from female students, PhD students, permanent and
temporary teaching and non-teaching staff.
7. All women employees, teachers and students should be
made aware and informed about the functioning of such a committee and the
names, addresses and phone numbers of the members of such a committee.
