JNU professor says he’s being targeted

NEW DELHI: Breaking his silence for the first time since allegations of sexual harassment were levelled against him, professor Mehendra Lama of Jawaharlal Nehru University’s School of International Sciences said that he was being “unnecessarily” targeted.
Lama said this on Tuesday even as ABVP members assembled outside Vasant Kunj police station demanding that the police take suo motu cognisance of the complaints against him and two senior professors for defending him.

Lama told TOI that there are two sets of complaints. “Since the matter was with the Internal Complaints Committee, I had vowed not to speak as the matter is under investigation. But two girls who had filed one set of complaints have gone to the media. So it is required that I should talk too,” Lama said.

Lama claimed that the two complainants were supposed to submit their Phd theses by last July but they were yet to do so.

“When I told them to get de-registered and come back when they can submit their papers, they filed cases of mental harassment against me. It is there in the documents with the ICC,” Lama claimed.

There is an attempt to defame him by a particular political group, Lama said, alluding to ABVP.

Lama also spoke of the other complaint of which a screenshot was circulated on social media. He said that the complainant claims that she was sexually harassed in China when they were there.

“But she had some issues and was fearful that I will raise them at JNU. It was only then that she started spreading rumours against me,” Lama said.

He also claimed that none of the other students in China had any issue with him. “I believe that I am a very strict teacher and I keep them disciplined. But this is the first time some students have raised such an issue. I have all the documents and will reveal them when the time comes”, Lama said.

ABVP, however, has written to the vice-chancellor demanding Lama’s suspension.

“We have also asked for the suspension of professors Rajesh Kharat and Ajay Patnaik for shielding Lama,” said Vijay Kumar, ABVP JNU president.