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Kalakshetra row: Chennai Police Commissioner to probe complaints of sexual harassment

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed Action Taken Report from the police and said that the commission would initiate the probe if the report was unsatisfactory.

Tamil Nadu Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu directed Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal to probe the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against a senior faculty member in Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDCFA), Kalakshetra Foundation on Friday, March 24. The directive from the police chief came days after the National Commission for Women (NCW) asked him to investigate the matter. NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma urged Sylendra Babu to ensure that Revathi Ramachandran, director of the institute, was also booked under the relevant provisions for allegedly protecting the accused.

Meanwhile, NCW took to Twitter to say that the accused persons must be arrested at the earliest and necessary assistance be given to all the survivors coming forward. NCW sought a detailed Action Taken Report from the police and said that the commission would initiate the inquiry if the report was unsatisfactory.

Earlier on Thursday, Revathi met the DGP and submitted a copy of the investigations done by the institute’s IC (Internal Committee), which reportedly found no truth to back the sexual harassment claims against the perpetrator. The allegations against the teaching faculty member of RDCFA emerged after several students had shared their experiences of being sexually harassed in anonymous posts on social media platforms.

Kalakshetra called the allegations rumours and said that they were aimed at maligning the Foundation. The Foundation has issued a gag order against speaking about the issue. “Gossiping, spreading rumours, and bad-mouthing are incredibly toxic in a learning environment. Further, serious/real issues may be discredited due to a sea of frivolous allegations. Those engaged in such activities are warned that appropriate legal action will be taken against them,” the note on the Kalakshetra website read.

Meanwhile, CAREspaces, an NGO, which formed a listening space for the students, alumni and repertory dancers to speak about these sexual harassment allegations, noted that the allegations included sexual misconduct, abuses of power, and human rights violations. The NGO formed this listening space after some students spoke up about the sexual harassment in RDCFA on social media platforms a few months ago. They claimed to have received, “over 100 narratives that reveal frustration and fear towards the institution’s decision-makers and administrators, especially due to their open support of alleged abusers.”

Read: Sexual harassment allegations at Chennai’s famous Kalakshetra, college issues gag order

Source: The News Minute