‘Suspend prof over sexual harassment’

***Members of the North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) during a media conference on Tuesday***

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JAN 3: After the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Executive Council (EC) rejected the findings and recommendations of the NEHU’s Women Cell on a sexual harassment case against a professor, the university students have upped their demand for immediate suspension of the teacher.

On August 26 last year, Prof FA Qadri, who is a Dean, School of Social Sciences, was alleged to have sexually harassed one of the research scholars of the History department.

After the hue and cry from the students’ community over the alleged sexual harassment, the university authority tried to appease them my instituting an inquiry by NEHU’s Women Cell.

However, the NEHU’s EC has now refused to accept the findings and recommendations of the Women’s Cell and instead decided to set up an independent inquiry into the case.

This decision of the NEHU authority has enraged the students’ community and under the banner of the North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU), they have demanded immediate suspension of Prof FA Qadri.

NEHUSU has also warned that If the university fails to fulfill their demand, the union will resort to agitations of over 3000 students of the university.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, NEHUSU adviser Rangdajied Marwein said, “We demand the NEHU’s executive council headed by the vice chancellor to issue the suspension order of the professor before the start of the academic session (February).”

He said the suspension demand is being made to ensure free and fair investigation into the case and the union feels if the professor is found guilty he should immediately expel/terminate him from his service.

Prof FA Qadri, who is a Dean, School of Social Sciences, was alleged to have sexually harassed one of the research scholars of the History department on August 26.

He also said that the union is of the view that if the professor is found guilty, the university should handover the case to the state police to ensure stern legal action.

He, however, said the union cannot speak on behalf of the victim as to why FIR was not filed as their concern is confined to security of female students in the university.

Earlier last year, the students had also staged a protest rally to the office of the vice chancellor demanding action against the professor.