New Delhi: A former student of St Xavier’s University in Kolkata has started an online petition demanding “disciplinary action” against its vice chancellor (VC) Felix Raj after a 30-year-old former assistant professor alleged that she was asked to resign last year over what the premier institute described as “objectionable posts” on her private Instagram profile.
Started by 35-year-old Gaurav Banerjee on Change.org, the petition also seeks “an unconditional apology” to the professor from the varsity authorities “for handling the case in the manner they have”. Started on 9 August, the petition has garnered support from over 23,000 people so far. It has been addressed to West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu.
Speaking to ThePrint, Banerjee termed the varsity’s decision “ridiculous” and said starting this petition was the “least he could do as a former student of the institution”. He also said that he was not acquainted with the professor in any way and started this petition only “to show solidarity”.
“This is something that has happened before too. When I was discussing the news with my friends, a few of them admitted that this happened to them a while ago as well,” Banerjee, who passed out of St Xavier’s in 2008 and currently lives in Mumbai, said.
According to the petition, the professor was asked to resign in October 2021 after a student stumbled upon her private Instagram profile. The father of the student had allegedly released a letter claiming the professor had “posed in a sexually explicit way causing deliberate public exposure”.
The former professor had also previously claimed that the purportedly “objectionable” photos were shared as “Instagram stories” and included images of her wearing a swimsuit, shorts, and gym clothes. Instagram stories refers to a social media feature that allows users to publish posts that vanish after 24 hours and limit their audience.
She also said the Instagram stories were posted before she began her job at the university, in August 2021. She was allegedly asked to apologise, and she did, but was told to quit nevertheless.
Pleased at the release of this petition, the professor told ThePrint, “I am happy that people are taking a stand on my behalf. I hope that my truth has been evident enough in my testimonies, and I would like to thank people for their continued support. It has reinvigorated me and renewed my motivation to fight.”
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‘Many women friends recalled moral policing by varsity’
According to Banerjee, the college has a history of regressive behaviour. He said that many of his women friends have reported instances of “moral policing” by the institute in the past.
“They told me about how they were policed for wearing clothes that were too short or too obscene. One friend even told me that she was turned away from the college gates for her outfit. Some girls were actually told not to wear black bras to college,” Banerjee said.
The former assistant professor, however, lamented the lack of support from the varsity’s faculty. “There has been no public and united stand from the faculty on this matter. Students have reached out and expressed unconditional support. Some have even protested inside the campus.”
She also said that she was fighting a legal battle against the institution. “I sent them a legal notice asking for documents. They responded without producing any and by threatening a Rs 99 crore suit. But, I will be taking appropriate legal action.”
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