Sexual harassment: Protests burn in Central University of Kerala

Kasaragod: The Students Federation of India (SFI) continued their protest at the Central University of Kerala here on Thursday against the withdrawal of suspension of the teacher who allegedly sexually assaulted students on campus. SFI, the students' wing of Kerala's ruling CPI(M), led demonstrations before the university vice chancellor's office for several hours. Though a round of talks was held with the protesters, the SFI representatives walked out of it.

They demanded that Assistant Professor Efthikar Ahamed B, the accused lecturer, not be allowed to enter the campus and classes and that the university should recognise the seriousness of the matter and withdraw his suspension. District committee member Abhiram inaugurated the blockade strike at the VC's office.

Students' organisations started protests on the campus on Tuesday after the vice chancellor in charge, Prof K C Baiju, decided to revoke the suspension of Assistant Professor Efthikar Ahamed B.

SFI had picketed VC's office that day and pasted a poster that read 'Get Out, Efthikar' on the English teacher's closed office door, On Manorama reported.

Congress's students' wing, the National Students Union of India (NSUI), issued a statement in which the organisation said that not just students but women as a whole are not safe on campus. The organisation said that it is ashamed about how the university handled the matter. It argued that the university's actions in the name of inquiry were nothing but a denial of justice to the students. It also said that no abuser should be excused.

According to On Manorama, students accused the lecturer of delivering vulgar lectures in classes in the name of poetry. He molested a student who fainted in class during exams, and two more female students alleged that he touched them inappropriately in class. Though the administration suspended him, it revoked the same on Tuesday.