Lawyer resigns from Kalakshetra's sexual harassment committee, points finger at admin
Advocate BS Ajeetha, who is the external member of the Internal Committee (IC) at the Kalakshetra Foundation, resigned from her position on Tuesday, April 4. In her resignation letter to the Director of Kalakshetra Foundation, she has said, “I am quite disturbed by the recent happenings in your institution and the response of the administration to the issues.”
Ajeetha, who has been a member of Kalakshetra’s IC for the past four years, said, “The present atmosphere in the institution and the large-scale discontentment of the women students and staff make me to rethink as to whether I should continue to be an external member of the IC attached to the institute. I have my own reservations regarding the responses made by the administration to the present controversy. Hence, I do not want to associate myself anymore with your institution and particularly to continue as a member of the IC.” She concluded her letter by stating that she hopes, “Better counsel will prevail to the administration and things will be sorted out in a judicious manner which will be acceptable to all the affected students.”
Ajeetha’s resignation comes days after multiple sexual harassment allegations were raised against four faculty members of the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDFCA).
Speaking to TNM, Ajeetha said, “The students have no trust in the committee. Apart from complaints of sexual harassment on the campus, other complaints too are not dealt with in an appropriate manner. So it is not proper that I continue there. It is not only one issue but other issues that the students are talking about continuously."
When asked about the Foundation’s Director Revathi Ramachandran being present during the IC hearing, Ajeetha said that there will be representation of the management on the committee. “As an external member, I have no say about the other members. But, normally this shall be avoided so as to help the students talk about what happened."
Stating that the students should be provided an environment to report such instances without fear, she said that in order to do that the system of inquiry and punishment has to be strong. “The IC should give them confidence. Right now, it is the students’ protest and standing together that has instilled confidence in them. My decision is not to be part of the committee anymore, even if it is reconstituted,” she added.
Meanwhile, Kalakshetra Foundation, in a press release on Monday, said that the IC, which Hari Padman – one of the faculty members accused of sexual harassment – was also a member of, has been reconstituted. A new student counsellor and an Independent Advisory Committee is expected to be appointed immediately.
According to the Kalakshetra website, the IC against sexual harassment — which is legally mandated — is composed of Revathi Ramchandran (Director, KF), Nandini Nagaraj (Lecturer, RDCFA), Uma Maheshwari (Principal, BASS school), and BS Ajeetha (Advocate, Madras HC). In March this year, the institute has declared in a note on their website that they took suo motu cognisance of these allegations and found them to be false. Critics had then questioned the manner in which the issue was dealt with, and the composition of the IC itself that looked into this matter.
At the time, based on the IC’s report, Kalakshetra’s responses to the sexual harassment allegations were seen as irresponsible and dismissive of the complainants, who have raised serious concerns. The institute had described the complaints as “malicious”, “rumours” and done with the aim of “sullying Kalakshetra Foundation by falsely projecting the institution as an unsafe environment.” Kalakshetra also issued a gag order, by saying in the same statement warning of legal action against survivors who speak out.