Parents feel Christian co-ed institutions ‘unsafe’: Madras High court

Chennai: “Now, there is a general feeling amongst the parents of students, especially female students that co-educational study in Christian institutions is highly unsafe for the future of their children and though they impart good education, the preaching of morality will be a million dollar question”, observed the Madras high court.

Justice S.Vaidyanathan made the above observation while dismissing a petition from Samuel Tennyson, an Assistant Professor of Madras Christian College (Autonomous), which sought to quash the “Finding of Fact” report given by the Internal Complaints Committee on the complaints of alleged sexual harassment given by 34 students of chemistry department against him and one Raveen, and the consequential second show cause notice issued by the MCC.

The court felt it appropriate to point out that Christian missionaries are always the source of attack in one way or the other and in the present era, there are several accusations against them for indulging in compulsory conversion of people of other religions into Christianity. “As long as a religion is practiced in streets in lieu of its worship places like Temple, Mosque, Church etc., such devastation, as in the present case does occur and will be mushrooming”, the judge added.

The judge said a meticulous reading of the entire averments in the case unwraps the facts that the petitioner was appointed as Assistant Professor in the Zoology department and as a part of curriculum activity, an industrial tour was arranged for the students of the third year between January 9, 2019 and January 14 to Bangalore, Mysore and Coorg, in which around 46 students participated.

The tour brought disrespect not only to the college but also put an end to the career development of the petitioner and one Raveen, pursuant to the complaints received from as many as 34 students alleging sexual assault on them, the judge added.

Referring to the contention that there was violation of principles of natural justice as the petitioner was not permitted to stay in the hall during the enquiry of the girl students, the judge said the court finds justification in the act of the Committee, on the reasoning that as soon as the students, who lodged complaints against the petitioner, notice the personal appearance of the petitioner in the very same hall, there were chances of their panicking out of fear and threats and as a result, the entire truth will not come out of their mouth, thereby, leaving allegations levelled against the petitioner and Raveen unnoticed by the Committee. Hence, in the opinion of the court, there was no violation of the principles of natural justice by the Committee in the conduct of the enquiry and this court finds no infirmity with the report of the Committee, the judge added.

The judge said the court was of the view that the petitioner, in order to avoid such a situation, should have withdrawn his participation from the tour, if he has no confidence in him, as the job he was holding was a respectable one.