Anonymous letter claims girls at Modern College hostel harassed by rector; institute calls it attempt to malign its reputation

The letter was sent both to Modern College authorities, whose hostel is under question, as well as ILS Law College, where the rector is herself a student, authorities at Savitribai Phule Pune University as well as local police officers.

The letter lists five points under which the girls claim they are being harassed.

Taking serious cognizance of the complaints in the letter, the management of the college immediately called for a meeting.

However, college authorities said the rector has been given a clean chit since the charges against her were made anonymously, while at least 38 of 40 girls have told them in writing that they have no problem with her.

Among the issues listed by the letter’s authors are the rector’s alleged high handed behaviour, forcing students to enroll in tiffin services for two meals, lack of cleanliness in hostel rooms and refusal to act against cleaning staff and asking girls repeatedly to vacate hostel rooms.

Student organisation Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which met the college authorities with a copy of the letter, claimed that it was written on behalf of all girls living in the hostel but none is signing it out of fear of repercussions. The ABVP demanded action over the letter’s allegations within three days.

However, college authorities said their internal investigation showed that a majority of the girls have no complaints.

Principal Sanjay Kharat said, “We have taken serious note of the letter and immediately conducted a meeting where we addressed all students. But 38 of the 40 girls gave us in writing that they have no issues with the rector. In fact, one of the police officers also visited the hostel — since the copy was marked to the police authorities as well — and told us the girls have no complaints. Someone is trying to malign the name of the institute,” he said.

Shamkant Deshmukh, Secretary of the Progressive Education Society that runs the college and hostel, said that as far as reprimanding students goes, every hostel has certain rules.

Like in-out timings, guests in rooms and not using irons for safety reasons. The rector is only maintaining discipline, he said.

“Having said that, at the management level, we have taken note of the basic problems mentioned in the letter and will work to improve the facilities. Earlier, hostel authorities tried employing a mess contractor but less than 10 per cent of students opted for it. We can’t force students to take mess facility also because even that is wrong and no contractor will take up a contract if the number is so small. We will try to work out solutions for the issues pointed out,” he said.