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V-C in the eye of a storm

BERHAMPUR: The State women’s commission alleged that the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Berhampur University, Bijay Kumar Sahu was involved in a conspiracy to malign the image of a professor of his own university by an allegation of sexual harassment.

This statement of the State women’s commission has deepened the mystery related to the allegation of sexual harassment made against a professor of botany of the university, A.K.Panigrahy by a student of biotechnology. It may be noted that last month a three member committee constituted by the university authorities to investigate into the allegations made by the girl had opined against Mr Panigrahy. Following it the syndicate of the university has taken a decision to suspend Mr. Panigrahy from his job.

The chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, Namita Panda had also reached the campus to make independent enquiry into the matter. She has filed her report to the governor cum chancellor of Orissa universities, Chief Minister, and Higher Education Department.

In a complete diverse move Ms. Panda has given complete clean chit to Mr. Panigrahy and termed the V-C to be conspirator.

As per the report (whose copy is with The Hindu) the girl was motivated to make the allegations against Mr. Panigrahy by the V-C of the university, Mr. Sahu due to an old dispute continuing between the two. Ms. Panda has also alleged that the V-C also harassed and pressed Sailabala Padhy, a professor and head of the women’s harassment cell of the university to help in furnishing false evidences against Mr. Panigrahy. It was alleged that the girl had been intentionally failed in her dissertation paper by Mr. Panigrahy when she did not accede to his ill motives. But the women’s commission did not find any hand of Mr. Panigrahy in the failing of the girl student.

In her report the women’s commission chief quoted an enquiry report related to Berhampur University by Ramesh Charan Behera while he was RDC of southern division to make some acrid remarks against the V-C.

The Behera commission report had termed present V-C, Mr. Sahu to be a case for compulsory retirement as he was neither fit to be professor nor a man of good conduct. Ms. Panda expressed her surprise how Mr. Sahu was working as the V-C of the same university who according to her was involved in ‘mischief and nefarious activities as per his previous habit’.

Speaking to newsmen on Monday, the V-C, Mr. Sahu asked “whether the women’s commission had come over to the university to enquire about the sexual harassment allegation or to make character assassination of the V-C”. The suspended professor Mr. Panigrahy said his past claim that it was a conspiracy against him was proven correct by the report of the women’s commission.

It may be noted that he has also filed a case in the Orissa High Court against his suspension order.

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