A press release by NLSIU Bangalore vice chancellor Venkata Rao sent to media today, stated that the “concerned professor and the students have amicably resolved the matter between them”.
The news of Professor V Nagaraj allegedly shaming a female student over having worn shorts to a lecture followed by inappropriate comments, had made national headlines after first reported by Legally India on 6 April, last week.
Rao’s statement today also noted: “We further request the media to kindly abstain from reporting this matter any further.”
“Additionally, it is further clarified that the matter as reported in certain sections of the media on 10th April about the tender of apology by the concerned professor on 9th April, is not correct,” added Rao’s statement.
However, one NLSIU student source close to the development told Legally India that Professor Nagaraj may not have apologised on 9 April (Saturday), but did apologise “profusely” on 10 April (Sunday) to the students during discussion, requesting students to keep his apology private and not to share it with the media.
However, the Bangalore Mirror and the Deccan Herald both reported on 10 April, citing student sources, that Nagaraj had expressed “regret” over the issue - presumably on the previous day (9 April).
Update 1: Added student source disagreeing on apology
Update 2 11 April: Nagaraj via email denied that he apologised:
I strongly deny the news reported in legallyindia.com today that according to one of the unidentified students, I have apologized for what has happened and asked the students to keep it to themselves and not to reveal it to media.
It is gross misrepresentation on the part of the student who reported. It is for the Vice-Chancellor as head of the institution to take appropriate action as he deems fit.
I would also like to add that I have informed the Vice-Chancellor that I will not be teaching the batch of students in question. As a Professor, keeping in mind the decorum of the institution and myself, I do not want to involve myself in such media trial.
Comments
It's not sick of "us lot". You clearly do not yourself know about the professor and the kind of things he has said, especially about women. I am not from this third year batch, I have long since graduated. I can attest for some of the shady things he has said and gotten away with because no one bothered to apply this kind of pressure (including things about women, specifically, in short clothes). I salute these kids!
There is a sense of propriety and decorum to an educational establishment, even absent a dress code. But to now contort the wearing of hotpants to class, to a "how dare he question my character and morals" completely retracts from the latter, which was the key issue.
How does one protest against a comment to the effect of "women have no character because they wear short shorts", or "women get raped because they wear short clothes"?
Any particular reason that you feel that wearing shorts is not a legitimate form of protest?
And no one is contorting the wearing of hotpants to class, because the man ACTUALLY questioned the girl's character and morals. From the outset, the kids have been saying that their protest is against the statements.
Also, given that there is no dress code, surely the onus is on the person objecting to particular clothing to show that it is causing a lack of decorum or propriety? Was that established, beyond the professor saying "I don't like these clothes so go change"?
A) You were raped because you wear shorts; and
B) It is improper decorum to wear shorts to a lecture in an educational establishment, so you should "dress properly".
A) is an inappropriate statement. B) is not - at most, it can be subject to different perspectives of what constitutes "improper decorum".
The mobilization, media reporting and all action since (read BCI), address the fact that the student wore shorts to a class - not the disparaging statements made. The andolan has lost its name and, at best, all that is achieved is a publicly villifed professor who will not teach a certain batch. Kudos to nothing.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/539569/nlsiu-prof-apologises-remarks-against.html
Can happen only in the Law School.
Legally India and other media houses should launch an independent investigation into this. A law school where a matter this sensitive is swept under the carpet doesn't deserve the reputation it is trying to protect.
In a way, the positive result of this episode is that it's extremely unlikely that any prof will ever repeat similar statements at NLS (and perhaps at other law schools too).
It might even result in greater sensitisation or awareness of other issues also, which are partly also generational, presumably.
From what I've heard of the story, it seems like the Professor's comments were obviously inappropriate, but they seem more likely to have stemmed from a certain tonedeafness and a different generation's attitudes, rather than outright sexism or malice. Also, after the class began to argue with him, he may have felt backed into a corner and lost his cool.
Do you think the coverage and the in-part vilifaction of Professor Nagaraj, particularly in the mainstream media, was entirely justified?
What would you have liked to happen? A public apology? Better handling by the admin? A differently worded statement?
as one of the students aggrieved, we were clear that we wanted him to apologise to the batch. as the second statement that we released also states, we also wanted the vc to declare that there wouldn't be any imposition of a dress code. it's also become clear from the faculty's response to this that they also require some sort of sensitisation program that they will be unwilling to go through.
The mainstream media definitely went overboard in this issue even before any inquiry. Instances like branding the incident as one of slut shaming was wholly uncalled for. I don't think that the students anticipated it to take such a major turn either, but taking it to responsive authorities in the first place could have led to better results.
Also, if the victim wants to really "punish" that professor who lacks decency, a criminal case should be registered for outraging the modesty of a woman, since the law does not permit a man to pass comments on the character of a woman based on her clothes.
Also, accessibility for the visually impaired means text > pictures.