V.S. Ugrappa, chairman, expert committee to suggest amendments to existing laws on preventing atrocities on women and children, visited Maharani’s Arts, Commerce and Management College on Monday in connection with the unrest in the institution. He lashed out at faculty members for triggering protests by students.
Two factions of students got into a physical fight on Saturday over the transfer of two professors and subsequently their principal. Classes had been disrupted due to the unrest, which had been brewing for over two weeks.
Addressing presspersons after conducting an inquiry, Mr. Ugrappa said that there is no ambiguity about the involvement of the teachers in these protests. “The teachers have misguided students. It is sad that teachers are using students to settle scores against each other,” he said.
Earlier, Mr. Ugrappa met the faculty members and students. However, only a dozen students attended.
Pavitra T.N., a commerce student who attended the meeting, said the students protested after two members of the commerce faculty were transferred reportedly on a report submitted by their principal. She alleged that the former principal R. Komala had misused a student’s signature and falsely stated in her report that one of those transferred had sexually harassed students.
Another student said that the reputation of the college had suffered a great deal due to this incident. The issue got diluted when staff started mentioning their grievances.
H. Prakash, head of the commerce department who is also president of the Karnataka Government College Teachers’ Association, spoke about the plight of guest faculty, departments without permanent heads and lack of infrastructural development.
‘Activate grievance redressal cell’
Although the management claimed to have a grievance redressal cell, many students are unaware of its existence. Mr Ugrappa asked the college to activate the cell and submit details of the complaints received.
