Petition to ChanPETITION TO CHANCELLOR BY WOMEN STUDENTScellor by Women Students_cu

PETITION TO THE HON’BLE CHANCELLOR

FROM THE WOMEN STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT

To

Hon. Justice (Retd.) Sri. P. Sathasivam Hon. Chancellor of the University of Calicut

& Governor of Kerala Raj Bhavan Thiruvananthapuram

Most Respected Sir,

Acts of violence and harassment of women students are increasing day by day at the University of

Calicut campus. It is a most regretful fact that on a campus where more than 80% of the students are

women, the security and safety of women are given little importance by the authorities of the

University.

Despite numerous complaints being lodged with the University authorities and police regarding acts of

harassment, verbal threats, physical violence, the insulting use of obscene language and gestures,

teasing in public places and on campus roads, objectionable bodily exposure and suggestive behavior,

no action has been taken by the authorities against the perpetrators of these criminal acts. In fact, we

are afraid that the authorities themselves are colluding in protecting and sheltering the offenders.

Due to these acts of harassment by both the students of certain particular Departments/Centres and by

anti-social elements from outside the campus, we are constantly under threat and live on campus with

terrible fear. We are unable to pursue our studies or engage in normal day-to-day activities with any

freedom.

Though, from the Adv. Seemanthini Commission instituted by the Hon’ble High Court of Kerala in 1997

and the subsequent judgment of the Hon’ble High Court in OP No. 20105 of 1996-8 to the National

Assessment and Accreditation Agency in 2010, there have been several Governmental and judicial

directions repeatedly urging and instructing the University to put in place comprehensive measures and

systems to protect the safety and security of women students, the University is yet to do anything at all

regarding the same.

In these circumstances, we plead with you to intervene in the matter and initiate steps to ensure that

women students at the University can live and undertake their studies and research with safety, security

and the freedoms assured by the Constitution and the laws of the land, and that the perpetrators of

these criminal acts and their protectors are punished in an exemplary manner.

Calicut University Faithfully, 13 December 2015 For Women Students of the University of Calicut Anupama D S MPhil Scholar, Department of Malayalam