Terminate BHU VC: Delhi Commission for Women to PM

New Delhi, Sep. 28 (PTI): Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the BHU Vice Chancellor be terminated over the handling of the recent violence on the campus. “BHU VC (Girish Chandra Tripathi) should be terminated for baton-charge on girls and strict action should be taken against him. Girls at BHU campus and hostels should be provided security,” Maliwal said in her letter to Modi. “University or College administration should be made accountable for any mishap or harassment of girls on campus or college,” she said. A number of students, including women, and two journalists were injured in a baton-charge by the police in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) where a protest on Saturday night against an alleged eve-teasing incident turned violent. The incident was not only traumatising but it also highlighted the callousness of the administration over such impetus concern. Girls face eve teasing and groping on campus regularly, the letter said. Maliwal said that the sexual harassment and discrimination against girls “is not limited to the BHU campus”. Such practices are prevalent in prestigious colleges in the national capital as well. In the last one week, security of girls in two colleges of the DU has been brought to limelight, she said. “Around 500 students of Ambedkar College went to the police station demanding for safe and secure campus for girls where eve teasing and groping was a regular occurrence. At Khalsa College, some boys tried to forcibly enter the girl’s hostel,” she said. The women’s body has sought PMO’s intervention into any discrimination in hostel timing for boys and girls and drafting of a national policy to ensure safety of girls on campus. BHU appoints first woman chief proctor Varanasi, Sep. 28 (PTI): The BHU today appointed its first woman chief proctor after her predecessor resigned taking moral responsibility for the recent violence on the campus. The appointment was approved by Vice Chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi following the resignation of O P Singh. “Royana Singh, an assistant professor at the Institute of Medical Science (Anatomy Department), has been appointed as the Chief Proctor,” a senior Banaras Hindu University (BHU) official said. The university also issued a press release confirming her appointment after Singh quit the post, taking moral responsibility for the unrest on the campus. Singh said she has “zero-tolerance” towards eve-teasing and she was “away when the incident took place”. A number of students, including women, and two journalists were injured in a baton-charge by the police in BHU where a protest on Saturday night against an alleged eve- teasing incident turned violent. Meanwhile, BHU vice-chancellor Tripathi has visited the hostel and held talks with students. The VC has also accepted various demands of the students over their security concerns such as round-the-clock security, CCTV network, proper checking at the gates, recruitment of women security guards among other issues, according to students. Yesterday, Professor M K Singh, of the BHU Medical College, was given interim charge of the post of chief proctor. An internal four-page report by the former chief proctor and the university vice-chancellor had called the alleged act of molestation an incident of “eve-teasing”. Girl students at BHU have been protesting alleging gender bias in norms, and demanding round-the-clock security, making security personnel accountable for untoward incidents targeting girls, CCTV network, proper checking at the gates, recruitment of women security guards and setting up of a gender sensitisation panel.