Dr Urmila Parlikar, the Principal of the Government of Maharashtra Secondary Training College, situated in Dhobi Talao, Mumbai, is facing heat over her alleged comments on the private body parts of female students. Now, the students have lodged an FIR against her.
The FIR was filed on the evening of August 17 at the Azad Maidan Police Station. Students state that she constantly makes abusive comments against them in front of the whole class. A female student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said, "There have been many complaints against her previously. She had also abused staff members and teachers in the past."
The students approached the office of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Mumbai, in this regard, which supported them and helped them file the FIR. Faisal Shaik, NSUI Mumbai Vice-President, said, "A group of 27 students came with their grievances. We went to the police station along with a few NSUI members."
"It all started over uniforms. The principal decided on white kurtis as the college uniform for girls. As it is the rainy season and whites soil easily, students wanted the colour changed. But when a group of girls went to the principal with this request, she said it was a baseless argument and spoke in abusing terms," said a girl student.
"Not only this, but the principal also abuses the tribal students frequently," she said, adding, "We had written our complaints to the Joint Director (JD) of the college, who had forwarded them to the Secretary. But the Secretary alleged that we had conspired against the principal and did not take any action."
So, the students decided to take the help of the police. COPS (Care of Public Safety), an NGO, and NSUI stood with the students, they say. They also mention that no teacher or staff member supported them. The FIR has been lodged against Dr Parlikar for sexual harassment of female students and under the Prevention of Atrocities (against SCs and STs) Act.
"The police told us that they could ask her to apologise to us to solve the matter. But we know that she would never apologise," the girl student said. Now that the FIR has been filed, the students want the principal to be suspended. Faisal has also shared a press release with EdexLive that states that NSUI would also raise a demand to the Director of Higher Education for her suspension.
