SHILLONG: The North Eastern Hill University (NEHU ) Students’ Union (NEHUSU) has lashed out at the Executive Council of the University for reinstating tainted Professor F.A. Qadri, who was alleged to have sexually harassed a research scholar. Later many other students also testified to the enquiry committee of being sexually harassed by the professor. NEHUSU has demanded an immediate inquiry in the reinstatement of Qadri and sought for stringent punishment to be meted out to him.
NEHUSU has alleged that Prof FA Qadri, of the Department of History, was legally found guilty of sexual harassment by the Women’s Cell of the University. He was alleged to have sexually harassed a research scholar of the Department on August 26 last year. It is ironic that an academic institution like NEHU did not follow the directive of the Sexual Harassment Of Women At Workplace ( Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 which requires that the University constitute an Internal Complaints Committee to give the Women’s Cell a legal standing. Hence when the Women’s Cell after due enquiry found Prof Qadri guilty of sexual harassment, the University formed another Committee to oversee the report of the Cell.
NEHUSU has taken strong exception to the report given by the Emergent Executive Council on October 17, 2017, reinstating Qadri with certain conditions. He was reinstated with certain conditions which included withholding of increment till his superannuation, no administrative responsibilities in future and not allotting any research scholars for guidance by him and also putting a cap on his promotion.
Commenting on the reinstatement of Qadri, president of NEHUSU, Pynkmenlang Sanmiet, said, “If he is not guilty, then why was he reinstated with conditions?” It shows there is something fishy going on behind the scenes.” To protest against the reinstatement of Qadri, a section of the NEHUSU locked his chamber and later burnt his effigy at the University premises and shoted slogans of “We want justice,” “Sexual harassment: shame, shame.”
Sanmiet, said, “The decision of the Executive Council of the University to reinstate him in the department has prompted us to burn the effigy and lock the chamber of FA Qadri.”
He stated that the Union is upset with the decision of the EC since Qadri is alleged to be a habitual offender, he said, “It is disheartening that the University is trying to protect him.”
He said that Qadri who previously taught at Manipur University, has previous records of sexual harassment there. “We don’t want such people to teach us here,” he said. The Union also seeks to pressurize the administration to expel Qadri who Sanmiet alleged has tarnished the reputation of the University. As a next step the NEHUSU will convene the general body meeting and will initiate further steps, if the University administration maintains its silence.
With many cases of sexual harassment surfacing in the University, Sanmiet said, “We will send a very clear message to the University administration to constitute the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as per the Act of 2013 as without the ICC it will be difficult for us to solve such cases.”
Evidently NEHU has failed to comply with the SC order for reasons best known to it although compliance is compulsory.
