Following months of inquiry by the internal complaints committee (ICC) at Symbiosis, after scores of students took to social media to highlight harassment they faced at the university’s media school in Viman Nagar, the institution has taken action against Anupam Siddhartha, the director of Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication (SCMC). Siddhartha, who was “found guilty of crossing the line on disciplining students”, has been transferred to an administrative department. However, officials at Symbiosis clarified that charges of sexual harassment against him could not be substantiated. A couple of months ago, during the #Metoo movement, several students had taken to social media and over a hundred signed a petition, demanding action against Siddhartha for his alleged role in allowing a “toxic culture” to prevail on the campus. Former students shared details of instances of sexual harassment and bullying by fellow classmates, and faculty, even during internships. The students claimed that Siddhartha was informed of certain instances, but he ignored the complaints. They even accused him of mental harassment in the name of disciplining students. Two other professors of the institute were also accused by students of sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments. As the charges came to the fore, an equal number of students wrote another petition to the university, asking it not to remove Siddhartha from the post of the director, as demanded by the other group of students. They also praised his leadership and disciplinary action which, they said, had benefited students. Symbiosis then set up the ICC that interviewed students and faculty members for several weeks, following which a decision was taken, said Vidya Yeravdekar, the principal director of Symbiosis Society. She said Siddhartha would be asked to step down from his post as the director, SCMC. “The inquiry of the ICC is now over and the report has been submitted to the Vice-Chancellor. As far as the two professors, who were accused of sexual harassment charges, are concerned, it was recommended that they be terminated. One of them has resigned and the other has appealed to the Vice-Chancellor. As far as charges against director Anupam Siddharth goes, the ICC could not find any substantial evidence as far as sexual harassment is concerned. However, it did note that he was found guilty of crossing the line on disciplining students, based on testimonies of students who complained. Hence, it has been decided to transfer him from the position of director at SCMC to an administrative department of the university until further notice,” she said. Siddhartha said: “I am glad that the ICC has found the charges levied against me to be unsubstantiated. It was a trying time for me and my family but we understood that the investigation needed to be comprehensive. As already communicated to you by the Honorable Pro-Chancellor, I have joined the administrative department of the university. It is an important responsibility and I will do my best for the cause.” Asked to comment on the observation that a line had been crossed while disciplining students, he said: “The authorities to whom the concerned report was submitted will be able to judge that best.”
