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'Remove professor who discussed Gandhi's sex life'

Hundreds of Delhi University students are demanding the ouster of a professor of Ramjas College who has been accused of sexually harassing 10 male students

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NEW DELHI: Hundreds of Delhi University students are demanding the ouster of a professor of Ramjas College who has been accused of sexually harassing 10 male students last year by narrating tales of Mahatma Gandhi's sex life during class.

Students from various departments of the college and other colleges of the varsity have been holding protests since Tuesday to demand that BN Ray be removed from his post of senior reader and strict action be take against him.

"He may have good knowledge in his field - he has been around teaching at this university for over 35 years. However, his classes were intimidating. I mean, who discusses Gandhi's sex life in introductory classes?" a second year student who is among the protesters said on condition of anonymity.

Another student of the same batch said: "His classes were a far cry from political science, he often deviated into intimate conversation and ended up discussing Gandhi's sex life. That's just twisted!"

Ten male students of Ramjas College had complained to the college administration against Ray in October last year.

The College Complaints Committee (CCC), which probed the complaint and submitted its report in April this year, had found the charges of sexual harassment against Ray valid and "recommended that he face termination from service".

"On the pretext of giving special attention and tuition classes, he invited these students to his home on campus, after college hours," alleged Aditya Kaul, a student activist.

"My friends were under pressure to keep mum. These guys were traumatised enough! With support from other college staff and students, they filed an official complaint in October last year. They are still waiting for justice."

The protesting students are demanding implementation of the recommendations of the CCC report and want the college's governing council to take immediate action against Ray, who has not attended classes for almost a year but is still on university rolls.

The college authorities on the other hand had claimed earlier this week that "since Ray has filed a civil writ petition against the CCC's report, the matter is sub judice".

According to ordinance 15-D of university law, however, the governing council must adhere to the CCC's report and carry out its recommendations.

Kumar Rahul, another professor of political science, Ramjas College, said: "There is no stay order on the governing council by any court. They are just buying time on the pretext of the case being sub judice."

"This is violating not just basic rights but violating the justice delivery mechanism devised by the university," said Rahul, who is also a front-runner at the protest.

According to psychiatrist Monica Chib, Apollo Hospital here, such behaviour from a professor is not warranted.
 
"Even if the concerned professor wanted to break the ice to relax the students, such discussions are not justified and will just intimidate students," Chib said.

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