Students, women seek justice in campus harassment cases

On a nationwide call by the All-India Committee of Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Himachal Pradesh unit of SFI and the All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shimla today. The demonstration was held in response to increasing incidents of sexual harassment in educational institutions across the country.

Protesters demanded the resignation of Odisha’s Minister of Higher Education, Suryabanshi Suraj, following the tragic case of a girl student at Fakir Mohan College who set herself ablaze after repeated harassment and administrative apathy. The protesters also called for a fair, time-bound investigation against the accused professor, negligent police officers and members of the Internal Complaints Committee.

Further, demonstrators condemned a recent molestation case in Shimla, where a schoolteacher allegedly harassed a Class 6 girl. They demanded swift action and strict punishment in the case.

A central demand of the protest was the full implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act in all educational institutions. The protesters also called for the formation of fully functional Gender Sensitisation Committees Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) on every campus.

Speaking at the protest, SFI state vice-president Sarita expressed grief and outrage over the Odisha incident. She said the student had been subjected to prolonged harassment and had reached out to multiple authorities — including college officials, police and senior BJP leaders such as MP Pratap Sarangi, Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan — but her pleas were ignored.

“The incident is not a one-off case. It reflects systemic institutional failure and deliberate negligence,” she said.

SFI state secretary Sunny Seakta added that regressive mindsets are deeply rooted in the education system, pointing to a similar case in Shimla involving a Shastri teacher accused of harassing a young girl. “Despite the trauma inflicted, the accused is out on bail,” he noted.

AIDWA state secretary Falma Chauhan said sexual violence in educational institutions is widespread and often suppressed by those in power. “From Himachal to Odisha, the pattern is the same — protect the predator and silence the survivor,” she remarked.

Himachal Tribune