Bengaluru: Budging to the pressure from research scholars, the Board of Governors (BoG) of Institute for Economic and Social Change (ISEC), Nagarabhavi on Monday decided to form a four-member committee to look into their various demands.
Speaking to the protesting research scholars, Mr A. Ravindra, chairman, BoG, said the committee will be headed by social scientists Prof Valerian Rodrigues. “The committee will look into all the issues, including complaints of gender bias, caste/ religion based discrimination etc,” he said.
He also assured the research scholars that Sunday’s incident of male police entering the women’s hostel will be raised at the highest level of state police. “I will speak to the DG&IGP and request him to order an investigation,” he said.
On Sunday, some male police officers, who were not accompanied by any women police, allegedly entered the women’s hostel at ISEC, triggering the protest.
Since 9.30 am on Monday, around 50 research scholars protested in front of the director’s office demanding the immediate removal of Director Prof. Chandrakanth M.G.
They forced the BoG to postpone its meeting till noon. They allowed the meeting only after BoG members assured the scholars that their demands would be discussed at the meeting.
The research scholars alleged that Prof Chandrakanth is anti-student, undemocratic and insensitive. “He has consistently distorted the research and academic environment at ISEC. Since May 2016, we have been facing a lot of issues, problems, pressures and disciplinary cum moral policing by Prof Chandrakanth. Many of us have raised important and urgent issues related to research and academics with the director. We have sent numerous letters, went in delegations and made requests, but we have been met with empty replies. Our suggestions have been brushed aside without being given due priority,” they alleged.
