Being a Ph.D scholar for more than
two years in an institute like NIT where life tends to be too monotonous with hectic
research works. Many of us have fixed schedule of going to the department on
time, working on research papers, and meeting with supervisor, restrict to the
hostel dinner and lunch timing. We hardly get scope to mingle with other
department research scholars to discuss what is happening in and around the
campus. It was late May of this year, some of my female colleagues with strain faces
disclose me the nasty sexual harassment going on in the campus. Each word was
expressing the pain and injury of the victims that they had gone through for
many years from the hands of a security officer. Next day the person who was a whistle blower
of the entire issue gave detail accounts that ignited the entire mass to start
protest against the nasty sexual harassment events going inside the campus.
With different slogan against the sexual harassment we marched the entire
campus and demanding immediate action against the guilt.
The peaceful protest
went for nine days with vigorous pressure on the director to suspend the guilt, demand
to lodge an FIR against him and bringing changes in the administrative system.
Constant hard work in hot summer of meeting media person, local politicians,
spreading the words through different mode such as social media, consulting
lawyers, meeting women activist and many more. The most heartening task was to persuading
the victims to come out to lodge FIR on the nasty acts done to them. In no time
with support of woman activist, the victims with full courage lodge FIR against
the guilt. The agitation ended with an open house discussion with all the students,
faculties, deans and director. The meeting did have a larger impact on many as
they were unaware of the issue and reason of the agitation by the
students. Most aspects of the issue were
discussed and explanation was given by director. Though many of his explanation
was not encountering the questions asked by the faculties and students. The
demand of full activation of the sexual harassment cell in the institute and formation
of student body was strongly put forth by the students in front of the senior
authorities. Although we officially called off the demonstration but our words
echoed and reached many ears, on the next day we were called by the MHRD official
for the meeting to discuss on same issue. On the same time we observed about
50-60 tribal and dalit women groups shouting slogan inside the director office.
This was enough to bring smile on each of our face, my mind was echoing with ‘satyamev
jayate’ on the very moment…
The entire protest taught me many
things. Being an anthropologist by practice I may have worked on similar kind
of issues, but never got an opportunity to experience it so closely, the nine days
protest inculcates a new person in me. I
met many new faces they carry similar thought of bringing change in the
society. We became like family by spending hours together in brain storming to
address the issue. Each day certainly had something to teach such as addressing
mass and controlling them, understands legal aspect and its guidelines, facing
media person and having control over our speech in front of camera, meeting
with higher authorities, preparing appropriate placards for display and most
importantly staying united with the group.
Time for change
Such kind of nasty acts must be
happening in many educational institutions the victim could be anyone. It’s time
for many of us to learn our rights provided to the student and understand the
legal aspect before anyone hoodwink us. The first thing an institute should do
is to bring awareness of their rights to the students through workshops. There
has to be sexual harassment cell for all the students and workers working in
the institute. The committee members contact details has to be display in the
institute website and in the ladies hostel information boards. Second most
important thing an institute like NIT or IIT should have a student union body.
May it not be politicize the academia but a body that should be there to hear
student voice and work together to bring solution to student problems?
The bottom line is we research
scholars engrossed ourselves in the institute curriculum that we keep no room to
work for the social cause happening around us. They say charity starts from
home, we being responsible and educated citizen must take first step towards
evolution. I am proud to say that I have taken the first step for a cause and many
more to take!!
