SAU profs' suspension: AISA stages protest; will submit letter to MEA seeking reinstatement of profs
Delhi University's (DU) student unit All India Students' Association (AISA) staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi today, June 26, against the suspension of professors of South Asian University (SAU). To recall, four professors were recently suspended due to "allegations of misconduct". Additionally, a varsity student, Apoorva Yarabahally registered a sexual harassment complaint against a professor from the Faculty of Law.
Seeking proper justice and a course of action, the AISA unit of Delhi University launched a protest today at 3 pm. Although initially, the protest was planned at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it had to be shifted to Jantan Mantar as the association allegedly received calls stating they cannot hold a protest at the MEA, claims AISA Delhi State President Abhigyan.
Disclosing their demands, Abhigyan said, "First, reinstatement of four professors who were suspended. Second, action to be taken against Prof Ravindra Pratap in connection to the sexual harassment complaint."
Sexual harassment complaint
A student of SAU, Apoorva Yarabahally registered a sexual harassment complaint against a professor from the Faculty of Law in March 2023 but to no avail. The student wrote emails to the administration but no action was initiated. She further wrote to MEA seeking its intervention. Despite this, the student email ID was blocked by the university, she claims.
Tweeting about this, the student said, "I had registered a sexual harassment complaint against a professor from faculty of Law at South Asian University. I wrote multiple mails. Begged and pleaded with administration to constitute a committee. But University ADMIN BLOCKED all of my emails.
@SouthAsianUni"
"Within half a day after I raised allegation of sexual harrassment against prof. Ravindra Pratap, he was made dean of faculty of legal studies at South asian University," read another tweet.
Abhigyan said, "On one side, the university is suspending professors for supporting students and on the other it is promoting professors who are harassing students. This side of dichotomy and hypocrisy is what we are going to question," Abhigyan said adding that around 30-35 AISA activists will be taking part in the protest. After the protest, the unit will submit a memorandum to the MEA.
To know why the professors were suspended, head to our previous report: https://www.edexlive.
