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Lathicharging students protesting over sexual assault at BHU is shameful

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DailyBite
DailyBiteSep 24, 2017 | 19:30

Lathicharging students protesting over sexual assault at BHU is shameful

It seems Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan “Beti bachao, Beti padhao” has not reached Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi — the PM's own Lok Sabha constituency — where women students at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), who were protesting against an incident of alleged molestation on campus, were lathicharged on the night of September 23, when the police supposedly used force to remove protesters from outside the university vice-chancellor's residence and one of the campus gates.

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According to reports, a woman student lodged at BHU's Triveni hostel was molested by three men on the campus, on September 21 evening. When she complained to the proctor about the incident, the student was allegedly shamed by some officials for being out late, and her grievance was not even recorded by the staff. It was then that the students went on a protest, demanding security for women on campus.

Other demands include an unconditional apology by the university to the survivor, gender sensitisation of professors and office-bearers, installation of lights in dark stretches on the campus, deployment of guards at regular intervals, and the removal of curfew at the women's hostel at BHU. 

The university officials have tried to present a different, yet repetitive narrative as per a report in The Indian Express. They dubbed the protest a work of “anti-national” and “anarchic” forces that are trying to mar BHU’s image. The university’s PRO, Rajesh Singh claimed that students from Left-aligned outfit AISA and Samajwadi Party’s student front are the main constituents of the protests.

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It is, however, true that the protests intensified within few hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ending his two-day visit to his Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi. The university has also blamed the protesting students for forcing the police to change PM Modi’s route on Friday.

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Photo: Twitter/BHU Buzz

“I have no idea how those sitting on dharna sustained injuries. Some anti-social elements tried to break gate of Mahila Mahavidyalaya on premises,” said Singh.

Whatever the motives, it is certain that several BHU students, both men and women were injured during the lathicharge.

“A lot of students have arrived at the BHU’s trauma centre and the situation is tense but there are no major injuries,” a hospital official told Hindustan Times on the condition of anonymity. Six policemen were also allegedly injured.

According to reports, the students claimed that the police thrashed them and pulled them by their hair, but the Varanasi district magistrate, who was present on the spot, denied the claims.

Speaking to The Quint, police commissioner Nitin Ramesh Gokarn said, “Generally there is no need for a lathi charge on women. We need to investigate who gave the go-ahead for it.”

Shivani Chaubey, an English Honours student, told News18, “I was part of the delegation that met the VC. He had all the security around him. He had police and CRPF at his disposal; yet, he felt unsafe because of our protests and didn't meet us.”

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“[GC] Tripathi told us that he was upset with protesters smearing Malviya’s statue with black ink. It is shocking that for our administration, girls being lathi charged is acceptable over black ink on a statue. He didn't prioritise us or our demands”, she added.

Culture of sexism 

A woman from BHU told News18 that stalking and eve-teasing are routine on campus. This should not come as much of a shock. After all, when the university, its rules and its administration reek of entrenched patriarchy and misogyny, it is likely that the male students too would imbibe these qualities.

The Mahila Maha Vidyalaya — established in 1929 by the university's founder Madan Mohan Malaviya to offer education to women who were stigmatised and inhibited by the regressive society of his time — has managed to turn into an ironic effigy of its liberal motives. While male hostels have no or little curfew, the women have to return to the hostel by 5pm, which is strictly enforced. Those women wearing short dresses and skirts are also admonished by the administration.

According to an India Today investigation, while men on the campus can eat meat and it is part of their hostel menus, women are not even allowed to cook it. 

Outrage

FThe sexual assault case and how the university has chosen to deal with the protest over the visible lack of women's safety has led to outrage on social media. From former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, to JNU student leader Shehla Rashid, to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, this shameful stifling of student voices who are demanding justice has been thoroughly condemned:

Also read - How rampant sexism put BHU on the edge

Last updated: September 26, 2017 | 19:28
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