Chennai: At the intervention of the administration, peace has returned to Kalakshetra, the premier institution for art and culture, with students on Friday calling off their two-day-long protest demanding action against the 'perpetrators' of sexual abuse. Chief Minister MK Stalin, responding to the calling attention motion tabled in the Assembly by VCK, Congress, and others, informed the House that a proper inquiry and necessary legal action would be taken against the guilty.
“A proper inquiry will be conducted and if the charges were proved, action would be taken as per law against those found guilty, whoever they might be. No sooner the issue was brought to my notice, I have taken it up with the District Collector and was apprised of the details. Then, at my direction, revenue and police personnel visited the institute for an on-the-spot inquiry. Today also, the team had gone to the institute,” the Chief Minister said, adding that security had been provided to Kalakshetra to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“No complaint has been lodged by those affected with the police so far,” Stalin said. Even as the Assembly was seized of the matter, SCW chairperson AS Kumari, rushed to the campus and conducted an inquiry with students and staff of the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDCFA), Kalakshetra Foundation. The media barred entry into the campus. Later, speaking to reporters, Kumari said, “Students submitted written complaints about sexual harassment and abuse against four persons. I heard the complaints of 12 students and conducted an inquiry for five hours. We will summon the four accused for an inquiry. The report of the inquiry will be submitted to the government on April 3. I have urged them to give up the agitation and they agreed.”
Also read: Kalakshetra sexual abuse: Protests continue overnight, what happened so far in 10 points
The protest was unprecedented in the annals of Kalakshetra, established in 1936 and became an institution under the Union Culture Ministry in 1992. The students boycotted the customary morning prayer on Thursday at the open space under the sprawling banyan tree and started their sit-in in protest. Holding placards, they raised slogans, “We Want Justice.” Remaining firm, they have even abstained from taking the ongoing semester examinations. Their prime demand was the suspension of assistant professor Hari Padman and three other repertory staff Sanjit Lal, Sai Krishna and Sreenath. The quartet is accused of indulging in sexual and verbal abuse besides harassment.
Interestingly, only the previous day on March 29, National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma had paid a secret visit to the institute and held an inquiry into the allegations of sexual harassment. But, the students were disappointed and resorted to protest. It was suspended late in the evening after the institute director Revathi Ramachandran assured to take action and create a conducive atmosphere for the students. But, the announcement to close the institute by declaring holidays till April 6 and asking the students to vacate the hostel proved to be a trigger to resume the agitation.
Kalakshetra's highly hierarchical guru-shishya tradition has come under severe criticism from acclaimed Carnatic musician TM Krishna and noted dancer Anita Ratnam among others. According to them, this puts the students at the mercy of the teacher, leaving no space for dissent. The campus situated in an idyllic 100-acre campus at Adyar was established by Rukmini Devi Arundale, a pioneer in bringing the art form of dance for the upper castes, mostly Brahmins, by sanitising it of love and eroticism central to hereditary dance practices of 'Satir'.
Earlier, the students shot off a letter to the Secretary, Union Ministry of Culture, informing the formation of a Students Union and its office-bearers. Besides seeking recognition from the Union, the letter named the four 'perpetrators' of sexual abuse and charged the institute director and Head of the Dance Department Jyotsna Menon with body shaming, verbal abuse and casteist remarks. It also accused Revathi Ramachandran of stonewalling any complaint.
“The complaints include written letters by three current students. They also include letters supportive of the complainants by a faculty member and a former student. As our complaints have been summarily dismissed, we write to you demanding to take necessary action... we also demand the reconstitution of the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), with the presiding officer being an external member appointed by the Governing Board in consultation with the Students Union. The ICC must also have a student representative decided by the Students Union,” read the letter.
