At least 200 students gathered outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office at Pondicherry Central University on Thursday, October 9, demanding action against two professors accused of sexual harassment. The students blocked the VC’s office, preventing him from leaving the premises, prompting police intervention. Several students have been taken into police custody.
Recently, two audio recordings emerged which allege sexual harassment by Dr C Madhavaiah, Centre Head of the Karaikal campus, and A Praveen, a faculty member of the Department of Physical Education and Sports.
These clippings have been accessed by TNM. In one of the audio recordings, a female student accuses Madhavaiah of texting inappropriately and demanding nudes. Madhavaiah allegedly threatened to cut her internal marks if she failed to comply with his demands.
The student makes these allegations while reaching out to another woman, seeking her help in addressing the issue internally without going to the media, as she fears that the issue will affect her education and her imminent wedding.
“For the past 5-6 months I have been under immense stress. I am unable to study or concentrate on anything. The HoD has been harassing me sexually, asking me to share nude photos”, she alleges. “He calls and texts me after 10 pm. Sometimes he calls and explicitly asks for nude photos, promising to give good marks in internals, or else he threatens to cut it.” “He says, ‘You won’t be able to write exams or study.’”
Sharing one of the incidents she narrates: “One day when I went to drink water, he saw me and directly approached, asking ‘why I have not sent explicit photos to him.’” That day I was traumatised and fled from the spot. I am unable to complain about this at home. If I do, they will promptly ask me to abandon studies. I have big ambitions of completing the PG and pursuing higher studies. I want to do a PhD. But it looks like until he [Madhavaiah] is there, it won’t be possible.”
According to her, many students have been harassed by the Centre Head. Owing to the harassment, she did not go to the college for two-three weeks which ultimately resulted in attendance shortage for which she could not write the exam.
In another audio recording, a man purported to be Praveen is heard expressing his frustration over the complaints against him at the VC’s office.
“The PA has told everything to the VC, fearing that his name would be dragged into it,” the man says. To which a woman is heard comforting him by saying, “If you want, I can talk to the VC. I will tell him that this is a trend in Pondicherry University. You are new here.”
Promising to convince the VC, she further says, “[I will tell that]At that time this was quite common. If we don’t make noise around it, everything will subside. Even if there is a complaint against Praveen, please don't make an issue out of it.”
Students accused the university of inaction despite the serious allegations. Denying this, the administration issued a statement on September 30, saying, “A team of senior university officials visited the Karaikal campus and inquired with all stakeholders. They could not establish any prima facie validity of the allegation, which appeared to be based on an old audio file that had already been investigated and closed.”
Speaking to TNM, Pravin Kumar, State Secretary of SFI in Pondicherry, said, “In the past, several cases of sexual harassment were raised, but the administration covered it up. No concrete action was taken against accused faculty.”
Protesting students also claimed that the University’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) lacked a student representative, in violation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms. They demanded the reconstitution of the ICC to include student representation.
TNM attempted to contact the registrar of PU and the public relations office but received no response. This story will be updated if a response is issued.
Meanwhile, 24 protesting students were detained by the police. While six of them have been released, the others continue to be under police custody.