Days after the National Commission for Women (NCW) closed its investigation into allegations of sexual harassment at Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation, the Chairperson of NCW, Rekha Sharma, visited the campus to enquire about the row. Sources confirmed that Rekha was present at the Kalakshetra campus on Wednesday, March 29, escorted by the Chennai police, and she asked students about the harassment allegations. On March 25, the NCW had announced that it had closed the investigation into the sexual harassment allegations at the institute after the survivor “denied sexual harassment” during an inquiry by Kalakshetra’s Internal Committee (IC).
Rekha’s visit to the campus happened a day after Revathi Ramachandran, the current Director of Kalakshetra, asked the staff, faculty, and students to “stay back” post school hours. “Yesterday the faculty members of Besant Arundale Senior Secondary School (BASS) received a message from Revathi Ramachandran saying that 'two guests' will come to the campus, and she asked us to be prepared,” sources said. TNM also learned that Revathi was sitting outside the meeting hall where students were asked to assemble for the interaction with Rekha.
Allegations of harassment against a senior faculty member of Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDCFA), situated inside the Kalakshetra campus, had emerged recently after several students shared their experiences of being sexually harassed in anonymous posts on social media platforms. Following this, the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) C Sylendra Babu directed Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal to probe the allegations based on a request from the NCW.
The allegations raised include sexual misconduct, abuse of power, and human rights violations at the intitute. CAREspaces, an NGO working to ensure safe working conditions and offer support to the survivors, said that they formed a listening space for the students, alumni, and repertory dancers to speak about these allegations after some students spoke up on social media platforms a few months ago. They also stated that they received “over 100 narratives that reveal frustration and fear towards the institution's decision-makers and administrators, especially due to their open support of alleged abusers.”
Kalakshetra had dismissed the allegations as rumours and claimed that they were aimed at maligning the institute. The Foundation had also issued a gag order against speaking about the issue, in a note on its website. Activists who have been supporting the survivors have questioned the composition of the IC — which is headed by Revathi Ramachandran who is also the director of the foundation — alleging that it raises serious questions of conflict of interest.
Earlier this week, TNM spoke to two survivors from Kalakshetra who recounted their experiences. We also spoke to six staff members of Kalakshetra, all of whom attest that the environment in Kalakshetra is toxic.