Jadavpur University professor divested of duties over ‘sealed bottle’ remark

Jadavpur University’s International Relations professor, Kanak Sarkar, was divested of his duties and barred from campus by the university on Wednesday, after outrage by students and teachers over his social media post comparing virgin women to ‘sealed bottles’. The decision was taken after a three-hour student teacher committee meeting on Wednesday.

“In view of the recommendation made by the student teacher committee, we have divested Kanak Sarkar of his teaching duties with immediate effect. The decision was taken not so much on the basis of his Facebook posts, but based on testimonials of the students – his behavior in class and general conduct. The students vouched that his behavior has been anti-woman and misogynistic and often his comments had sexual innuendos. This is unacceptable. Thus, we have taken the step of divesting him of his responsibilities,’’said head of the International Relations department at Jadavpur University OP Mishra.

The committee has further recommended that an inquiry be set up to look into “violation of all forms of marginalized social identities and sexual harassment.’’

Sarkar used to teach two subjects- Western Political Thought and Political Sociology. “The responsibility of teaching these two papers will be assigned to a colleague day after tomorrow. As far as his expulsion is concerned, a recommendation to do so has been forwarded to the Vice Chancellor’s office,” added Mishra.

In his posts on Facebook, Sarkar had written, “Virgin bride-why not? Are you willing to buy a broken seal while purchasing a bottle of cold drink or a packet of biscuits? A girl is biologically sealed from birth until it is opened. A virgin girl means many things accompanied as values, culture, sexual hygiene. To most boys virgin wife is like angel.”
Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) condemned the statements made by Sarkar.

He deleted the posts after receiving flak on social media.