Sexual harassment case returns to IIM-B’s gates

The ghost of a two-year-old sexual harassment case at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, involving one of its staffers, has returned to haunt the institute, with Vimochana (a forum for women’s rights) staging a protest on Thursday.
They were protesting against the institute’s alleged failure to take action against the accused, even 3 months after the submission of inquiry report.

In December 2009, a lady medical officer at the institute, found herself subject to unwelcome sexual overtures by her reporting officer and chief administrative officer, Indu Shekhar Vasisst.

The lady doctor made an oral complaint in November 2010 to the chairperson of the Gender Sensitivity Committee (GSC) and later in December 2010 to the director and the then dean (administration) of IIM-B. A written complaint was registered in June 2011.
According to the victim, although her reporting officer was changed, the intimidation continued. In January 2012, her services were terminated abruptly.

GSC began its inquiry in March 2012 and the report was submitted to the director in August 2012, with recommendations and final disposal. “There has been no final orders on the inquiry report that has been given to the director. This delay is despite the IIM-B’s own rule that the GSC shall submit its report within a month of receipt of the complaint and the director shall initiate action within 10 days of the receipt of the report,” said Donna Fernandes, founder of Vimochana. She said the institute was ‘indifferent’ to the problems. “ We want a judicial inquiry,” she said.

The victim had approached the high court against termination of her services, but lost the case. She also alleged that the current dean (administration) professor S Raghunath and Vasisst had worked against her. Raghunath had tried to convince her not to lodge a written complaint. “He told me to just give in my resignation and leave. When I went to inform him that I would be giving a written complaint, he made an inappropriate statement,” she said.
“Vasisst would make me stay back after work, ogle at me, pass lewd comments and ask inappropriate questions about the cases I handled,” she said.

Counter protest
As the protest gained momentum, contract workers were sent out in large numbers to counter it. “We are not facing any problem here. We are hurt that the image the institute got damaged and that is why we are here to save it,” said Ramachandra, president of the contract employees union.

Policemen deployed outside the institute later went in to  contact director Pankaj Chandra. However, as he was on ‘leave’, information officer, Uday Kumar did come out, but remained a mute spectator and also refused to talk to media. “I am not authorised to do so,” he said.

According to Mico Layout police inspector LY Rajesh, Kumar has been entrusted to coordinate a meeting between the director and Vimochana.
‘Institute indifferent’

Although members from Vimochana wanted to submit a memorandum to Chandra, they decided to wait to hand it over in person. The memorandum stated that “A number of individuals and organisations, including the National commission for women, have written to you asking about the action taken, but we all have been met with a deafening silence. In the context of this indifference on the one hand and the victimisation of the complainant, is it wrong for us to infer that the management is shielding the accused?”

“...in the face of such a blatant assault of women’s rights and dignity we will be forced to approach the minister for human resources to see that justice is done,” the memorandum added.

According to the victim, although she has repeatedly asked for a copy of the GSC proceedings, the director insists it is still under process. Even RTI applications in this matter have been rejected.

More cases
According to Fernandes, she has also received sexual harassment complaints from other women at the institute. “I know of 3-4 such cases,” she said.

According to Madhu Bhushan from Vimochana, international exchange students too have complained about the same. “A few said that they had heard about it. One of them said that a student complainant was sent back to her country for doing so,” she said.

Case under process: IIM-B
However, the institute’s head of communications Aprana Datta said in a mail that “The entire processing of this case has not been completed. Once it is over, all parties concerned will be informed and provided with relevant information.”