A student of the Centre of Russian Studies in Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University has allegedly confessed to "intimate partner violence, attempted rape, clicking of objectionable photos of women without their consent and blackmailing them" with it. This allegation comes at a time when women in JNU have repeatedly been complaining of sexual harassment and stalking on campus.
The students of the centre brought out a public notice over the weekend which took social media by storm. A BA third-year student of the CRS has apparently confessed that he has committed sexual offences against two female students of JNU. "He has accepted of being involved in intimate partner violence, attempted rape, clicking of objectionable photos of women without their consent and blackmailing them with this content in front of at least four of us in the batch," read the statement. "It is to be noted that not only is this person the SFC Representative of our batch, he is also being sent by our Centre on a scholarship through the Russian Embassy to pursue his Masters in Russia in RUDN University, Moscow," it further read.
The students said that they are "utterly shocked and enraged" by his behaviour and that they stand in solidarity with the survivors and demanded that the student should not be allowed to represent them as a class and the faculty of the Centre should take action against him, conduct an enquiry and ensure the safety of the survivors at all costs. The accused students' friends and acquaintances have also brought out a statement dissociating themselves from the accused.
The JNUSU, in their official statement, condemned the act and added that not just this student but another student Raghavendra Mishra, who has been asked not to step into JNU after allegations of sexual abuse, has been spotted visiting the campus on multiple occasions. "The Chief Proctor in an order dated February 14, 2020 had academically suspended him, expelled from the hostel, and declared the campus out of bounds for him," said the Students' Union.
The JNUSU said that these incidents point only towards the failure of the Internal Complaints Committee’s (ICC) redressal mechanism. "Since the establishment of ICC by dismantling GSCASH, the students have witnessed the deterioration of campus safety for all historically oppressed genders. The non-cognisance of these and other sexual harassment cases on the campus by the ICC is a continuance of its history of providing impunity to sexual predators. Hence, the larger fight by JNUSU to reinstate GSCASH and ensure a gender-safe campus lives on," said the student body members. JNUSU has organised a gathering at the Sabarmati Dhaba at 6.30 pm to discuss the issue.
The administration has not taken a stand on the issue yet. But the ABVP's JNU faction has pointed out that the accused student is (or was) a member of the All India Students' Association (AISA). They have even circulated posters saying 'Beware of AISA' on social media.
