Another AMU girl alleges sexual harassment

Manjari Mishra / TNN / Apr 22, 2006, 00:50 IST

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Asma lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against Dr Mohammad Sharif, before the AMU women grievances redressal cell in March.

Another AMU girl alleges sexual harassment

LUCKNOW: In February 2006, it was Farha Aziz Khan, the plucky mass communication student of Aligarh Muslim University who raised a storm against sexual harassment on the campus.
One month later, Asma Javed, a post-graduate student from the department of Hindi literature also dared to stand up and protest against the lascivious advances by a senior member of the faculty. However, much like her role model Farha, Asma, ostracised by most of her peers, now faces victimisation.
Asma lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against Dr Mohammad Sharif, a reader in Sanskrit department before the AMU women grievances redressal cell in March.
The cell was lying practically defunct for the last four years and was reactivated after the Farha episode. Though Sharif, after prima facie inquiry, is placed under suspension "till investigations are over", Asma fears manipulation and a doctored verdict.

Talking to TOI on Friday over the phone Asma claimed to be under immense pressure from the faculty members and other influential lobby for withdrawing the charges.
The girl, who was also shot at immediately after she voiced her complaint in the proctor's office, sounded extremely worked up about the systematic bid at character assassination and alleged that university authorities were trying to make a case favouring Sharif.
Interestingly, the case has drawn a clear wedge between teachers and the taught in AMU. While girls are all sympathy for Asma, president of the AMU Women's College Students Union Tabinda Iqbal told TOI that she has already demanded that a retired high court judge be made head of the probe panel, the AMU Teachers Association has condemned the hasty steps by the cell.
The resolution passed by the association, said Mohammed Rizwan Khan, secretary, also expressed concern about complete absence of any guidelines for the cell.
"I am receiving calls threatening an acid attack or worse every day, Asma told TOI. She also claimed that after unidentified boys shot at her and she rushed to the vice chancellor's office, she was asked to come back after three days. With this level of sympathy I don't expect much from the probe, she said.
Incidentally, the cell has also come under attack for being soft on yet another accused of sexual harassment Mohammad Shabbir, a professor in the law department. Shabbir faces a charge of harassing an American student last year.
There are attempts to push the matter under the carpet as the professor is well connected, alleged university sources.
The registrar Faizan Mustafa, who is among the six members of the cell and has been a student of Shabbir, admitted that the inquiry against him is on but it will take time.
Claiming that such cases were on the rise, a senior faculty member said that a good number of research scholars are known to have abandoned their research projects in recent past due to the sexual advances made by teachers.
She also cited the name of Afsar Mustafa Khan, a professor in zoology, "whose objectionable behaviour with a research student had led to a big controversy in AMU but the matter was hushed up".
The registrar dismissed the allegations of bias and wilful delay. An inquiry is a judicial process and takes time, he told TOI.
Moreover, as all proceedings before the cell were confidential the details and related matters, he said could not be disclosed to the media.
Another senior official of AMU said that Asma's "case was weak as nothing physical was done to her and whatever happened was verbal."

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