Visva-Bharati students rally for harassment survivor

Debajyoti Chakraborty & Someswar Boral, TNN | Sep 6, 2014: Santiniketan/Burdwan: Visva-Bharati students took out a huge rally in support of the sexual harassment survivor on Friday — her birthday — vowing that they would stick with her till she got justice. Members of the state women's commission met the girl at Burdwan Medical College and assured all help.

The students marched around the campus carrying placards that said 'stop violence against women' and 'learn to respect women'. One said: "Just because I move in a public space, my body is not a public space." The survivor spent her birthday in hospital where she has been admitted to recover from trauma.

"She needs counselling. We will meet the Visva-Bharati VC and seek justice for the girl. The government will provide free medical treatment to her," said commission chairperson Sunanda Mukherjee. Medical college superintendent Utpal Dawn agreed that the girl is in a state of trauma. "We conducted an MRI test today and psychiatry department head Ashim Mallick is treating her," he said.

Meanwhile, a war of words has broken out between Sunanda Mukherjee and VB anti-harassment cell chairperson Mausumi Bhattacharyya. Bhattacharyya alleges that Mukherjee has "defamed her" in a letter she wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee on the harassment case. "If she doesn't reply to my letter explaining the situation, I will be compelled to take legal action."

Mukherjee said: "I went to Burdwan hospital today. The girl is still in critical condition. The officials of VB should be ashamed of their inaction. On the contrary, they have threatened us. Let her take whatever action she likes to take against me. They will be condemned by the common people."