LUCKNOW: Banaras Hindu University ex-chief Proctor ON Singh, who resigned on Tuesday night owning up the campus fiasco, failed to come clear on the core issues and was in denial mode claiming that there was no cane charge on the university students. However, he acknowledged that the institution was short of security staff by at least 175 guards.
Denying that he resigned under any pressure, Singh parroted university administration’s oft-repeated claim that there was no lathi charge on the students who were protesting on last Saturday night, contrary to the statement of the hostel warden who had shared how the girls were beaten up by the cops in the front lawn of Mahila Mahavidylaya (MMV).
When confronted, Singh chose to remain non-committal saying he was not present on the spot at the time of police action. He claimed that it was directed on the outsiders who were indulging in vandalism, arson on the fateful night of September 23.
Admitting gaps in security net on the campus, Singh accepted that on the day of the incident, there were only 30-35 security guards present who were not enough to handle the situation.
The campus security staff is short by 175 guards. The regular contingent is comprised of just 700 security guards sans women guards to safeguard thousands of students and precisely over 10,000 girls daily.
Singh did not have a convincing reply to the reluctant attitude of the authorities in entertaining the complaint of the molestation victim.