#MeToo in BHU: Prof accused of harassment returns to classroom

Students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) are on a sit-in protest demanding the sacking of a professor accused of sexual harassment.

Over 50 students have been protesting on the campus since Saturday night against the reinstatement of a professor S.K. Chaubey of the Zoology. Department.

The professor was suspended last October allegedly over the passing of vulgar comments and making obscene gestures at female students while accompanying them during an academic trip to Odisha.

‘Feel Let Down’

“When we got to know about the details of the incident, we gave a written complaint to the ICC. Despite our complaints, nothing happened. In future, how will anyone have the courage to call out their harassers?” BHU Student was quoted as saying to The Quint.

“We are the ones who just want to study. When a teacher looks at us, we immediately bow our heads and we finally found the courage to speak up but were let down by the University,” a BHU Student said.

University Administration, however, stated that the professor is censored and can hold no post of responsibility.

BHU Registrar Neeraj Tripathi said, “He was earlier suspended and is now censored. The matter will again be taken to BHU’s highest decision-making body”.

“The Vice-Chancellor had taken cognisance of the complaint and suspended him. Inquiry committee later filed a report and BHU’s highest decision-making body censored the Professor, he can neither hold a post of responsibility in BHU nor attend any event or apply to any other college or university”, he added.