St Xavier's University head denies former teacher's 'forced to quit' allegation

Father Felix Raj, the Vice-Chancellor of Kolkata's St. Xavier's University on Friday denied allegations of forcing a professor to resign over swimsuit photos she posted on Instagram.

Father Felix Raj spoke a week after it was reported that a former teacher at the University had alleged that the authorities forced her to resign last October over an Instagram post in which she was seen wearing a bathing suit in her house.

He said that St Xavier's did not force anyone to resign and added that when someone is on probation if the university is dissatisfied, either of the two sides can give notice and end the relationship.

"It is most humiliating to even assume that St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, would force any teacher to resign," says a press note from Father Xavier Raj.

He was responding to media reports and social media posts that alleged the university officials and some teachers had forced the resignation of a female teacher.

He added that the university could have "terminated" the teacher as she was on probation but did not to "protect her career".

"The teacher concerned was on probation and had completed just two months (at St. Xavier's). If the institution wanted, it could have terminated her services. But as a Jesuit institution, we always look out for our teachers and students. We wanted to protect her career," He was quoted as saying.

The teacher, who wished to remain anonymous, said that a "kangaroo court" was held with the administration on October 7 last year where she was "intimidated, bullied and taunted with sexually coloured remarks". Raj denied this and said the teacher accepted giving students access to her Instagram and apologized for the same before the inquiry committee.

Meanwhile, the complainant has sought a police probe on how her social media pictures got leaked and circulated on campus.

The press note from the VC also regretted that the reports "unilaterally" mentioned the university's name without revealing the teacher's identity.

It further added that the university respects the privacy of each of them and therefore has made all possible efforts that there is no such breach of privacy.

The vice chancellor's note then sought people's cooperation to "discontinue such publications so that the University's name is not maligned."