JOIN USRamalingappa T Beguru, the suspended associate professor in Kannada at Maharani’s College, has cried foul at the sexual harassment allegation against him.
Beguru, a Kannada Sahitya Academy awardee, said the allegation was aimed at “defaming” him so that he didn’t get a position in the recently announced cluster university that would comprise Maharani Science College for Women, Maharani’s Arts, Commerce and Management College for Women, and Smt VHD Home Science College. He said a group of teachers in the college was “instigating” students to make such allegations against him. “The student who has filed a molestation complaint against me was acting at someone’s behest. Why didn’t she speak up earlier,” he told DH.
Beguru said he was in the dark on the complaint filed by the student. “Ideally, I should be given a copy of the complaint before being suspended. This was not done. Although an internal committee was formed to look into the matter, I was suspended before it filed a report,” he said.
Beguru said he had written to the commissioner, Department of Collegiate Education, seeking a copy of the complaint.
Manjushri N, CEO, Bengaluru Urban Zilla Panchayat, has been entrusted with investigating into molestation complaints against teachers of the college. Students also spoke up against sexual harassment during a discussion with the college principal and V C Ugrappa, the chairman of the legislature committee on crimes against women and children, last week.
DH News Service