Professor Alleges Harassment By Student Leader, Writes To Haryana Govt Demanding Strict Punishment

In a letter dated November 5, an assistant professor of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak wrote to Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya and varsity’s vice chancellor Rajbir Singh,  accusing a student leader of threatening, blackmailing and abusing her at the workplace. She also demanded strict action against him. She alleged that his name was struck off in the first week of October due to zero attendance in the class, because of which he began harassing her. 

“That student leader, who is in his first year of a master’s degree programme, visited the department and hurled abuses at me in front of my research scholar and other staff on October 13. Two days later, he came with five other students, some of whom are facing serious charges, and termed my degrees fraudulent in front of the entire staff,” she wrote in the letter.

Student leader denied the allegations

However, when contacted, the student leader termed the allegation as false and baseless. On being asked about whether his name was struck off due to zero attendance, he said that the head of the department has a right to remove names

Mud-Slinging Campaign

“The student leader had started a mud-slinging campaign against me on social media and on November 4 he used derogatory words against me in a live streaming on Facebook. He termed my degree fake and claimed that it was brought after paying money. He colluded with the husband of a woman, whose appointment was challenged by me and later, I got an appointment. The student leader is hurling abuses at me, blackmailing and threatening,” she said, adding that she got her appointment from the university in compliance with Punjab and Haryana high court orders after five years of litigation, and the varsity has verified all documents before giving an appointment.

“The woman assistant professor has written a complaint against me with malafide intention as I had filed a complaint against her to the governor, chief minister, higher education council and vigilance officer as she had pursued two degrees at the same time. I had given my representation before the university, V-C, and registrar pertaining to the woman assistant professor’s academic details,” she further wrote.