NSUI firm on demand for FIR against teacher in harassment case

Nagpur: Even after warning from Nagpur University vice-chancellor of initiating police action to evict them, activists of National Students Union of India (NSUI) continued with their protests on the second day at NU’s administrative block on Wednesday.
They sat there throughout the night demanding FIR against NU Hindi Department head who had allegedly harassed two PhD students and extorted money from them.
The two girls, who had lodged complaint against the Hindi HoD, too joined the protest throughout the day, as per Nagpur Rural Youth Congress vice president Ashish Mandpe who is leading the agitation.
NU’s public relation officer professor Dharmesh Dhawankar told TOI that VC Subhash Chaudhari does not want to talk to the media on any issue.
Earlier in the morning, NSUI activists were called inside the chamber by the VC, who warned them of taking police help to evict them if they did not end their agitation. However, the activists demanded action as per their demands, including rolling back 20% fee hike for the ongoing academic session.
According to the protesters, the police asked them to shift their protests to front of NU’s main gate and also warned of action against them. Explaining their stand to police, the activists said the girls were victimized and harassed by the NU administration led by VC and pro-VC Sanjay Dudhe. The complainant girls also narrated the incident to police.
The activists said the VC had sent them a letter assuring action against the accused teacher and discussion on the fee hike in the Management Council meeting next week.
“Having witnessed the VC’s several U-turns on summer examinations issue in April-May, we demanded written assurance on lodging FIR against the teacher. We also want immediate release of the Research Recognition Committee (RRC) letters of both girls, which are kept on hold to harass both the girls hailing from poor backgrounds,” the activists said.
The activists also demanded all the charges against the girls’ guide, who was also victimized and harassed by the NU administration for supporting the complainants, be called back. “The guide was targeted for having an old rivalry with a teacher from the VMV College, who controls the Shikshan Manch affairs and takes all major decisions of NU administration from behind curtains,” they alleged.