Delhi University's Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) has started counselling sessions for students who have claimed to have experienced trauma due to the alleged harassment during its annual fest. In her second statement in the last two days, IP college principal Poonam Kumria said Indraprastha College for Women is concerned over the inconvenience experienced by some of the students during the festival and requested the students to avail the services of the counsellor.
More than 1,100 people, including former teachers and students of DU's IPCW, have expressed deep concern over the recent incident of alleged harassment at a fest and demanded an apology from Principal Poonam Kumria. They have also raised a host of questions regarding the incident questioning the management's action and reaction in a letter signed by all of them. The letter comes a week after some "unknown" men allegedly trespassed, shouted slogans and harassed women students during the annual 'Shruti' festival at the Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW). The authors of the letters are former teachers of the college, parents and concerned citizens. "The undersigned consist of students since the early 1960s. IPCW has never seen times worse than what we are witnessing now. We, members of the academia and civil society, are deeply concerned with what is happening and strongly feel that the College needs to proactively protect its girls rather than further harass them," the letter signed by 1,108 individuals read. "Why is the College threatening students with dire consequences if they continue their protests, calling parents of the already traumatised students and creating an atmosphere of fear through punitive measures?" they asked. On March 28, some "unknown" men allegedly trespassed, shouted slogans and harassed women students during the annual 'Shruti' festival at the college.
A host of protests were organised against the principal following the incident, wherein the students also alleged attempts to "saffronise” college, claimed increased surveillance and curtailment of freedom of speech at the hands of the newly-appointed principal.