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Over 250 students staged a 14-hour overnight protest starting April 16 at the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU), Tiruchirappalli, demanding an enquiry into the sexist, victim-shaming remarks made by Vice Chancellor, Professor V Nagaraj. Calling his remarks equating women’s attire to sexual harassment “conduct that normalises harassment and burdens victims”, students demanded an unconditional apology and a public retraction of his words.
“Nearly half of the 525-student campus gathered in front of the administrative block, and we began protesting at 4 pm on April 16 and continued until 6 am the following morning,” a student told TNM. Students of the residential campus also surpassed the 10 pm hostel curfew to maintain their vigil throughout the night, the student added.
The unrest was triggered by remarks made by the VC during an official Class Representatives Meeting on April 15.
In a statement of condemnation issued on the same day, the student community alleged that during the meeting, Nagaraj claimed that women students wearing shorts "invite sexual harassment" and are a "distraction" for faculty members. “Notably, he also expressed that he is “very proud” of similar remarks he previously made during the widely reported NLSIU controversy, offering no retraction or regret for that prior conduct,” the statement from students read.
In 2016, while he was a professor at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, Nagaraj faced backlash after he allegedly shamed a third-year student for her attire in front of others. During that incident, he reportedly used a very crude analogy, comparing wearing shorts to "children having sex in front of their parents", and allegedly told her that her choice of clothes reflected her character.
At TNNLU, students allege that the VC did not merely "recall" the 2016 incident, as claimed by the Registrar, Prof SM Balakrishnan, but that he was not regretful of it.
Despite the students protesting overnight, the higher authorities and faculty members allegedly have not addressed them, and the press is being stopped from entering the campus. Students also alleged that their demand for the formation of a student body has been stalled by the VC.
No action, acknowledgement from authorities
Despite the scale of the protest, students reported a stark lack of administrative concern and support from the faculty’s end. “While hundreds of students remained in the open all night, the VC, Registrar Prof (Dr) SM Balakrishnan, and other faculty members left the campus by 7:30 pm,” said a student.
Sources also told TNM that the University officials restricted entry for the press into the campus on the morning of April 17.
Students further noted that several high-ranking officials, such as the Registrar, the Deans, the faculty, which included the Chief Warden and the Coordinator of the Legal Centre for Women’s Welfare, were present when the VC made the victim-shaming remarks at the Class Representative’s meeting. They alleged that none of these senior officials and professors intervened.
The institution had reportedly denied the formation of a Student Body Association after its last tenure in 2018-19, as reported by Bar and Bench. Students alleged that the VC has been stalling their requests for the reformation of the student body.
“And as of the morning of April 17, no formal action has been taken by the university administration about the grievances expressed through the student protest,” another student told TNM.
Students reportedly staged a second round of protest on the evening of April 17, and intend to continue attending classes in the morning and protesting in the evenings until their demands and grievances are resolved.
A growing wave of solidarity
The TNNLU student body has found support from the wider legal community. The National Law University, Jodhpur, issued a solidarity statement, stating that Prof Nagaraj’s remarks are “inconsistent with the foundational principles of Indian law", including the “Vishaka vs State of Rajasthan jurisprudence, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and the UGC Regulations, 2015.”
The statement also recalls how responsibility for harassment lies solely with the perpetrator and is not dependent on the victim's attire, adding that blaming women’s clothing for harassment undermines accountability and deflects from the values of “equality, dignity, and non-discrimination” as per the Constitution, especially in an academic institution solely dedicated to the study of law.
In its statement, NLU Jodhpur also called for institutional accountability and laid emphasis on the need to uphold safe, inclusive spaces rooted in gender justice and the rule of law.
TNM reached out to Vice Chancellor Prof V Nagaraj for comment but did not receive a response. This story will be updated if and when a response is received.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.