JNU Clears Names of Sexual Harassment Accused, Warns Complainants

The Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has given a clean chit to two professors who had been named in two different complaints of sexual harassment.

While clearing the names of the professors the committee has also issued warnings to the complainants for “advertising” the issue, reported The Indian Express on 4 August, Saturday.

THE COMPLAINTS

Mahendra P Lama - a professor and Rajesh Kharat - a former chairperson at the Centre for South Asian Studies were named together in two different complaints of sexual harassment dating back to 2013 and 2017. Both the complaints were registered in January, 2018.

WHAT THE ICC SAID ABOUT THE 2013 COMPLAINT

Calling Professor P Lama “a strict teacher who wanted his students to work hard” the ICC stated that there was “no case of sexual harassment” to be made out against Lama and Kharat” in the 2013 case.

“The complainant could not complete her thesis on time and also it is clear from the deposition of the complainant that on the basis of some rumour she developed 'Lama phobia’, which triggered the present complaint,” IE quoted the ICC as saying.

The ICC also maintained that while Kharat did not perform his duty of maintaining the records in a proper manner, his act cannot be termed as sexual harassment.

AND ABOUT THE 2017 COMPLAINT

In the case dating to 2017, as well, the ICC concluded that there was a “administrative lapse” on the part of Lama and Kharat, but “no case of sexual harassment.” While Lama’s lapse, according to JNU ICC was denying a No Objection Certificate to the complainant for changing the supervisor, the lapse on Kharat’s part was not discussing the complainant’s application for changing the supervisor in a faculty meeting, the English daily report said.

The ICC’s recommendation for the 2017 complaint was that Lama and Kharat be “censured for creating uncertainty by not giving NOC to complainant as well as directing (the) complainant to de-register against her will.”

BUT WAIT

While the ICC cleared the names of the accused, the complainant was warned for “advertising” the issues and told that such kind of “public propaganda” can be damaging.

It was observed during the proceedings that the complainant herself was advertising about her complaint on her Facebook and through other electronic media and informed the public at large. Hence, the complainant should be issued a warning to not indulge in such act in future because this kind of act by any of the complainants, defendants and witnesses damages the inquiry procedure and the affected parties. This kind of a public propaganda also damages the image of the institution.

JNU ICC order accessed by Indian Express

Speaking to the newspaper, Lama said that the case was “fake” and “frivolous” and had been “lodged by non-performing students in collaboration with non-performing teachers.”

(With updates from The Indian Express.)