MALAFIDE INQUIRY AGAINST PROF NIVEDITA MENON
FEDCUTA is shocked to learn that the JNU administration has
adopted a biased and mala fide procedure to institute an enquiry against
Professor Nivedita Menon, eminent academic and well-known feminist who heads
the Centre for Comparative Politics and
Political Thought at the School of International Studies, JNU. We are
appalled to learn that Professor Bidyut Chakravarti, has been appointed as the
head of the inquiry committee against Nivedita Menon, even though it has been
brought to the notice of the administration that Prof. Menon had deposed before
the committee against Prof. Chakravarti in an inquiry in a sexual harassment
complaint in 2007. The appointment of Professor Chakravarti (who is an
external member of JNU’s Executive Council) as head of an enquiry
committee against Professor Menon, who testified against him reeks of bias
amounting to a breach of Professor Menon’s right to a fair and impartial
inquiry.
adopted a biased and mala fide procedure to institute an enquiry against
Professor Nivedita Menon, eminent academic and well-known feminist who heads
the Centre for Comparative Politics and
Political Thought at the School of International Studies, JNU. We are
appalled to learn that Professor Bidyut Chakravarti, has been appointed as the
head of the inquiry committee against Nivedita Menon, even though it has been
brought to the notice of the administration that Prof. Menon had deposed before
the committee against Prof. Chakravarti in an inquiry in a sexual harassment
complaint in 2007. The appointment of Professor Chakravarti (who is an
external member of JNU’s Executive Council) as head of an enquiry
committee against Professor Menon, who testified against him reeks of bias
amounting to a breach of Professor Menon’s right to a fair and impartial
inquiry.
It is shocking that members of JNU’s Academic Council first learnt
about this inquiry committee constituted by the Executive Council in July
2017 and headed by Prof. Bidyut Chakravarty, when some members of the Academic
Council received a letter inviting them to depose in front of the
committee. It then became known that this inquiry committee had been set
up to enquire into the alleged entry of students into the 142nd Academic
Council meeting held on 26 December 2016. The terms of reference of the said committee
were not made public nor was it clear which service rules were invoked to
constitute this committee. In the last few months Prof. Nivedita Menon has been
made the focus of this inquiry even though there were several teachers outside
the meeting on that day.
about this inquiry committee constituted by the Executive Council in July
2017 and headed by Prof. Bidyut Chakravarty, when some members of the Academic
Council received a letter inviting them to depose in front of the
committee. It then became known that this inquiry committee had been set
up to enquire into the alleged entry of students into the 142nd Academic
Council meeting held on 26 December 2016. The terms of reference of the said committee
were not made public nor was it clear which service rules were invoked to
constitute this committee. In the last few months Prof. Nivedita Menon has been
made the focus of this inquiry even though there were several teachers outside
the meeting on that day.
Although Prof. Menon was served a notice to appear before the
Committee, she was denied her right to be made aware of the ‘complaints’ that
were central to this inquiry. Further, she was not given a chance to understand
the nature of the depositions received by AC members and how they formed prima facie adequate
and sufficient grounds for instituting an inquiry against her.
Committee, she was denied her right to be made aware of the ‘complaints’ that
were central to this inquiry. Further, she was not given a chance to understand
the nature of the depositions received by AC members and how they formed prima facie adequate
and sufficient grounds for instituting an inquiry against her.
It is a matter of public record that a complaint of sexual
harassment was filed against Bidyut Chakravarti by a woman working in a
subordinate capacity at the Gandhi Bhavan in the University of Delhi. Professor
Menon, who was at the time also teaching in the Department of Political Science
in the University of Delhi had testified against Bidyut Chakravarti.
Subsequently, the University of Delhi had debarred Bidyut Chakravarti from all
administrative posts and supervisory duties in the University for three
years.We are deeply shocked that the JNU administration ignored the fact that
the nomination of Prof. Chakravarti as the chair of this inquiry against Prof.
Menon is a violation of the principles of natural justice and the right to
a fair procedure. Surely the JNU administration and its Executive Council
should abide by the principles of a fair inquiry and ensure that such an
enquiry should not be headed by someone who has grounds for bias.
harassment was filed against Bidyut Chakravarti by a woman working in a
subordinate capacity at the Gandhi Bhavan in the University of Delhi. Professor
Menon, who was at the time also teaching in the Department of Political Science
in the University of Delhi had testified against Bidyut Chakravarti.
Subsequently, the University of Delhi had debarred Bidyut Chakravarti from all
administrative posts and supervisory duties in the University for three
years.We are deeply shocked that the JNU administration ignored the fact that
the nomination of Prof. Chakravarti as the chair of this inquiry against Prof.
Menon is a violation of the principles of natural justice and the right to
a fair procedure. Surely the JNU administration and its Executive Council
should abide by the principles of a fair inquiry and ensure that such an
enquiry should not be headed by someone who has grounds for bias.
The JNU administration has exposed its own mala fide intentions
by ignoring Prof. Menon’s plea to reconstitute the inquiry committee,
given her legitimate apprehension of bias. Instead they have sent her repeated
letters asking her to appear before the inquiry committee. This unethical
and persistent harassment of an eminent scholar with an international
reputation is yet another instance of the backlash being faced by feminists who
stand up to sexism and sexual harassment in their professional spheres. It
highlights the strategy adopted by people in positions of power, of
trivialising sexual harassment and using their official positions to take
revenge against women who have complained or testified against them.
by ignoring Prof. Menon’s plea to reconstitute the inquiry committee,
given her legitimate apprehension of bias. Instead they have sent her repeated
letters asking her to appear before the inquiry committee. This unethical
and persistent harassment of an eminent scholar with an international
reputation is yet another instance of the backlash being faced by feminists who
stand up to sexism and sexual harassment in their professional spheres. It
highlights the strategy adopted by people in positions of power, of
trivialising sexual harassment and using their official positions to take
revenge against women who have complained or testified against them.
We would like to stress that the very basis on which the inquiry
committee was formed is flawed and motivated and attacks the democratic and
open functioning of a prestigious Centre of higher education in India. Further,
we condemn the malafide, motivated and baseless charges against Professor
Nivedita Menon and the JNU administration’s attempts to target her and demand
the immediate withdrawal of these charges and dissolution of the enquiry
committee. We further demand that Prof Bidyut Chakravarti be debarred
from any decision making on matters related to sexual harassment and/or GSCASH
as an Executive Council member at JNU.
committee was formed is flawed and motivated and attacks the democratic and
open functioning of a prestigious Centre of higher education in India. Further,
we condemn the malafide, motivated and baseless charges against Professor
Nivedita Menon and the JNU administration’s attempts to target her and demand
the immediate withdrawal of these charges and dissolution of the enquiry
committee. We further demand that Prof Bidyut Chakravarti be debarred
from any decision making on matters related to sexual harassment and/or GSCASH
as an Executive Council member at JNU.
Nandita Narain Ayesha Kidwai
(President FEDCUTA) (Secretary FEDCUTA)
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