In an apparent damage control exercise in the wake of the police lathi charge on girls, who were protesting against rising incidents of eve-teasing on the campus, triggering a nationwide outrage, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) administration on Thursday appointed a woman as the varsity’s chief proctor, the first in its history.
According to the official sources, Prof. Royana Singh, a senior faculty in the Institute of Medical Sciences at BHU, would replace Prof. O.N.Singh.
”Safety of the girls on the campus is my first priority,” Singh said after taking charge.
She said that security guards would be deployed at the women’s hostels and it would be ensured that there are an adequate number of street lights and they worked also.
All the students would have a helpline number and an email on which they could send their complaints. ”Proctorial team will reach the spot within ten minutes of getting the complaint,” she said.
The appointment of a woman as the chief proctor is being viewed as a damage control exercise after the varsity administration drew flak from various quarters over the treatment of girls living in the hostels.
In another damage control exercise, the controversial vice-chancellor of the varsity G.C.Tripathi also on Thursday visited a girls hostel within the campus and met the inmates.
Sources said that the VC assured the girls that their safety would be ensured and that the varsity would take stern action those found guilty.
Violence had flared up in the campus on Sunday and Monday after police lathi-charged a group of girls, who were protesting against rising incidents of eve-teasing on the campus and demanding better security arrangements.
A preliminary probe held the varsity administration responsible for the violence and criticised its handling of the situation. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, however, claimed that ”anti-social” elements were behind the violence.
Dailyhunt
