Indian Union Muslim league (IUML) Rajya Sabha MP Abul Wahab on Saturday, October 21, wrote to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadeesh Kumar seeking an intervention and “immediate action” from the body into the events that unfolded at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad over the past week.
Wahab’s letter was in response to the EFLU administration clamping down on student protests, first held on October 17 to demand a committee to address sexual assault cases and subsequently on October 19 against the alleged sexual assault of a female student that transpired on October 18. The MP in his letter sought the UGC’s intervention also as the Osmania University (OU) police had registered a case against 11 students following the protests.
Abdul Wahab has asked the UGC to also conduct a “proper and thorough investigation” into the sexual harassment case and address whatever concerns students in campus had raised. He also asked the body to advocate for the withdrawal of the case against the students considering their future and the need for a fair and transparent resolution. “I believe that immediate action and intervention are necessary to prevent further escalation of this situation and to restore trust within the university community,” the MP said in his letter.
Explaining the sequence of events, the IUML MP said that EFLU students on the night of October 16, initiated a protest demanding the reconstitution of the university’s Sensitisation, Prevention and Redressal of Sexual Harassment (SPARSH) body through elections and the reservation of a seat for an LGBTQ candidate. “The students' peaceful protest was met with a negative response from the proctor, Professor Samson, around 10 pm. The protest continued throughout the night and into the next day, during which classes were boycotted. After 26 hours of unrest, Professor Samson addressed the students in a positive manner, agreeing to reconstitute SPARSH but neglecting the request for LGBTQ reservation. While this was a step in the right direction, it did not fully address the concerns of the students,” Wahab said.
One of the incidents the police have linked to the whole issue is a discussion on Palestine by the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) that was planned to be held on October 18. In his complaint to the police, EFLU Proctor Samson alleged that it was planned with the intention to rouse “communal tensions.” However, students in the campus said that the event never took place. Abdul Wahab also reiterated the same in his letter.
“There was an academic discussion planned in the New Academic Block, on the evening of October 18, titled "Palestine: Perspectives on Literary Resistance". The NAB was locked down from 5 pm, with students inside who were there for a proficiency course, and no other students were allowed entry. This incident added to the students' frustration, leading to a gathering of students. In the midst of these multiple issues, the literary discussion was canceled by the organizers and the authorities were informed. The cancellation was conveyed to the police officers, and the organizers requested the withdrawal of the police, which was denied until the students dispersed. By 8 pm students dispersed and police as well,” said the MP in his letter to the UGC.
The subsequent alleged sexual assault took place later on the same night in the premise of third gate. It was after this that a few hundred students gathered and began protesting and demanding action. “Students started protesting near the proctor's house, demanding attention to the harassment incident and a proper investigation from 4:30 am in the morning of 19th October. They also called for the resignation of the proctor and the Vice-Chancellor due to the perceived failure to ensure campus safety and address the issue properly. Regrettably, the administration released a press note and registered FIRs against student leaders, distorting the narrative and misinterpreting events,” said the IUML MP.
Aside from this, the EFLU administration also announced the formation of an Internal Committee (IC) to deal with complaints of sexual harassment, which students say is a damage control move in the aftermath of student protests. Peculiarly, though the IC was publicly announced on October 19, the order is dated October 11 – five days before the campus first saw protests demanding the reconstitution of a similar committee. Many students also believe that the IC order may have been backdated to October 11 after hurriedly constituting the IC.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Parishad’s (ABVP) EFLU unit on Friday, October 20, also issued a statement seeking “prompt” action with regard to the sexual assault incident case. “The response of the university administration to the incident suggests certain lacunae in security arrangements that need to be addressed expeditiously. Cameras are to be installed in dimly lit areas and security personnel need to continuously monitor these areas. Such darkened spaces not only pose potential risks to personal safety but also impede the efficacy of prevailing security measures,” said a statement from the student body.
The statement also called for the newly constituted IC to “get its act together and be extremely alert and proactive”. The ABVP also called for the EFLU administration to be more sensitive to student protests in campus. “The tactics employed during the protest should be reviewed with a view to be more sensitive to student complaints and queries. All these matters warrant immediate attention and rectification,” stated the right-wing student body, which also said it “stands firmly and resolutely with the students and ther pursuit of justice”.