SPPU girls’ hostel boarders speak to varsity officials following a protest on moral policing affecting one of their fellow students
SPPU girls’ hostel SPPU girls’ hostel boarders speak to varsity officials following a protest on moral policing affecting one of their fellow students SPPU girls’ hostel SPPU girls’ hostel boarders speak to varsity officials following a protest on moral policing affecting one of their fellow students Pune: Two male students of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), who were roaming outside their hostel late on Sunday night, allegedly verbally harassed a postgraduate student for being outside the girls’ hostel after 10.30pm — and when rebuffed, approached hostel security to complain to her parents. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
Ankita Bhui, an MA sociology student, told TOI , “The two boys, who live in the men’s hostel, were on a motorcycle. Tanishka Bhandari, a student of the public health department, said, “Despite the girls in the hostel protesting the behaviour of the two men, authorities failed to tell the men to go back to their hostel or ask why they were out late. “When we demanded that an FIR be filed and the boys should be made to say sorry, instead of supporting us, the rector asked us to settle down and even said making them apologise will ‘hurt their ego’. After much deliberation, VC Suresh Gosavi addressed the girls and said the boys have been suspended, while the university is in the process of filing an FIR. However, when the girls also demanded action against the chief rector, the VC said a high-level committee will be constituted to investigate the matter and fix responsibility. Senior inspector Uttam Bhajnawale from Chatushringi police station told TOI , “The girl was not ready to complain and till afternoon, nobody from the university had approached us with a complaint.
The incident threw into the spotlight the irony of girl students fighting for their right to equality in hostel rules in a university named after a woman who battled society to secure girls’ right to education. Many of the girls highlighted that the varsity officials’ response fell wildly short of their expectations for fairness. They rode in front of the girl and her friend twice before stopping and asking her why she was sitting outside. When she questioned their authority, they went to the girls’ hostel gate barely 100m away and started asking the security guard to check if the girl had a late pass and to inform her parents if she did not. At no point did the guys think they also had no late pass. Who gives these men the right to judge and question women? Instead, they just locked the girls’ hostel gate, leaving the men outside the gate free to argue with them. What logic is this? “With no authority figure supporting the complainant, she was scared and did not file a complaint. University officials and the chief rector should have been there and helped her. They should have filed the complaint. ” Till Monday afternoon, the varsity management had failed to take any action against the male students or file a complaint, prompting the girls to continue their protest. They stormed into the vice-chancellor’s office, raised slogans, spoke about the discrimination and grievances they face, and asked him to take concrete action against the male students and rectors involved. But the girls did not relent and asked for action against the rectors as well, following which the administration decided to remove the girls’ hostel rector and give its additional charge to education department head Geeta Shinde. When the girls didn’t relent, the chief rector, who was also present for the meeting inside the VC’s office, offered to resign on moral grounds. Later, both the girl and the university officials came. We are taking her statement and the process of filing the FIR is on as of Monday evening. Download the TOI App.
The incident triggered a massive protest by students at the girls’ hostel throughout Sunday night, and on Monday afternoon, the varsity administration finally suspended the two male students and filed a police complaint. To top it all, the chief rector did not deign to come to our hostel despite us protesting all night till early on Monday morning,” said Swati Patil, an MA political science student. Another SPPU student, Nidhi Narang, said that when the girls finally reached Chatushringi police station to complain early on Monday morning, the behaviour of police personnel was also demoralising.