The independent inquiry committee constituted by the Kalakshetra Foundation has launched an online portal for current and former students to submit complaints or statements on sexual harassment incidents on or around campus. The online portal for staff members to register their complaints will also be opened soon. The students who wish to register the complaints can now report it on the independent inquiry committee portal.
The inquiry committee, headed by retired Justice Kannan, with former Deputy Inspector General of Tamil Nadu police Letika Saran and Dr Shoba Varthaman as the other members, was set up to look into the allegations of sexual assault and harassment of students by its staff members. It was set up by the Foundation on April 3, the same day that a senior Kalakshetra faculty member was arrested in connection with the sexual harassment of an alumna while she was studying at the institute.
Announcing the decision to launch the portal, Justice Kannan had, on April 14, said that students will be able to lodge a complaint digitally or in written form without any fear or victimisation.
The committee assured that all the mails, messages, images, video clippings, and documents that are to be submitted in the portal will be kept confidential. “The names of the complainants and witnesses shall also not be shared with any persons connected with the management of Kalakshetra,” the committee informed on the portal. Names and details of complaints will not be made public by the committee, the portal noted.
The online portal also provided the office address of Justice Kannan for those who don’t have unique identification to enter the portal to give a complaint in person. His office is located in New No.3, Old No.11, Lakshmi Colony, North Crescent Road of Thiyagarayanagar in Chennai.
Students of Kalakshetra Foundation’s Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts had come forward with sexual harassment allegations against the assistant professor Hari Padman and three members of the repertory — Sanjith Lal, Sai Krishnan and Srinath. Based on a complaint filed by an alumna at the Adyar All Women Police Station, Hari Padman, was arrested on April 3. He was subsequently suspended from the institute, along with the other three accused persons. On March 31, the students of the Foundation staged a night-long protest demanding that action be taken against those who have been accused of sexual harassment.
On Monday, April 17, the Madras High Court had admitted a writ petition filed by seven students of Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation following the allegations of sexual harassment against the institute’s employees. While hearing the petition, the court had announced its decision to reconstitute the Internal Committee (IC) of the Foundation.
Watch: Kalakshetra sexual harassment issue: Did the institute try to silence voices?