After getting relaxation to change the supervisor, the St Stephen’s College scholar, who had alleged sexual harassment by her guide, wants HRD Ministry’s intervention again as the university has refused to accept her demand of appointing a woman supervisor to her.
While she insists that university should facilitate the return of her research data from the college, university officials called her demands arbitrary.
The 27-year-old research scholar alleged in June that Satish Kumar, her PhD guide, sexually harassed her and college principal Valson Thampu tried to protect the accused professor.
later, the victim met HRD Minister Smriti Irani seeking her help. Irani had assured her support and full access to the lab.
Speaking to The Pioneer, the victim said that she has been left with no option by the university but to approach the Minister again for intervention.
“I am left with no option. They have clearly told me to accept their prescribed supervisor or stop my thesis work. I need help from higher authority to find out a way,” she said.
She has refused to collect her previous research data which is lying with Kumar. “The way university officials have given out statements has made the situation hostile for me. I do not feel to visit the college and take the research data rather I want the university administration to facilitate it for me,” she added and asked: “Why cannot the university hand over my work to meIJ”
This, response, however, has not been taken in the right way by the university authorities.
Gurmeet Singh, the head of DU’s Chemistry Department said there is no possibility that the department can provide her with a woman guide.
“It is not an easy job. Where will we get the woman guide... every research needs a specialised person. Somehow we managed to give her a new supervisor but her demands will only cause her problem, making it difficult for the department to help her work out the thesis,” he said.
He said that it is up to her to either give her consent for the new supervisor or stop the thesis work.
On returning her previous research data, Singh said that Kumar has agreed to give out some data but in presence of a third party. “Since he agreed to give away a part of work which the two had worked upon earlier, we suggested the third party would be Principal of the college. The university has no part to play into it,” he added.