By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Aligarh: Naheed Mustafa, who is a student form AMU and previously contested for the post of secretary in the student union election, has taken cudgels against the increasing number of women harassment in Aligarh Muslim University and faces stiff challenge and apathy from the university authority despite an assurance by the latter made last year to look into the problems.
While mentioning the case where a woman had lodged an FIR against the chairman of Department of Law and complaint in Women Cell AMU she said, “In AMU we have several complains since 90s when the women cell was constituted although the victims make complaints but they cannot pursue their locus standi as it hampers her family and professional life. In the era of modernization, AMU is also undergoing the period of legal awakening where the students know how to fight for justice.”
Last year, she had written a letter on 25th of September last year addressing the AMU chancellor in which she demanded “for a peaceful living in AMU and to explore in their academics, need for a women cell accordingly with guidelines of Central Government” and “for seeking appointment for discussing the present handicapped condition of girls who are facing sexual harassment but due to the fear of defamation they remain silent,” as mentioned in the letter sent by the AMU authority in reply for reference purpose.
The AMU authority replied to her letter a month later on 20th October and stated:
“The Complaint Committee (Women Cell) presently exists in the University since the year 2001.”
It further informed: “Recently, the said committee has been reconstituted vide Office Memo No. 497/Gen dated 29.09.2012.”
However, Naheed Mustafa does not seem satisfied by the AMU authority’s reply and maintains, “But it will remain ineffective till the soul of Aligarians suffers under the fear of social stratum. Every women needs to be protected where it is not mandatory to follow the Islamic code of appearance and religion is a matter of concern of oneself. Practicing or not practicing of a religion does not curtail one’s human rights. It’s a matter of grave importance and those who transgress the boundaries of morality and dignity of women should strictly be punished.”
There has been a widespread coverage of alleged rape/sexual harassment/molestation of a girl by Prof. M. Shabbir, Chairman, Department of Law at the Aligarh Muslim University.
This is not the first time when a complaint has been lodged against the Law professor. “Earlier a foreign student was also harassed by him and she had also lodged a complaint against him and he also got suspended but what is worrisome is that how could he think of committing the same crime again,” she told TCN.
“It seems that his previous punishment was not sufficient for him and he is yet to be thrown into the gutter of shame,” says Naheed angrily.
AMU clarification:
In a press statement, media office of the University, however, said that the AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Zameer Uddin Shah met the concerned girl along with her father on December 9, and it was clearly brought out by them that it was “a case of molestation only and not the other kind of sexual misdemeanour,” as reported by a section of media.