By CP BalasubramanyamNew Delhi, Oct 29 (PTI) A controversy over the disbandingof a gender cell has taken a new turn in Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, with a section of women students questioningself-defence training sessions started by the InternalComplaints Committee(ICC) set up by the administration.
The training sessions, the very first initiative of theICC, formed after the disbanding of the Gender SensitiveCommittee Against Sexual Harassment, or GSCASH, have kicked upan outcry.
Some students pointed out such sessions put the onus onwomen to protect themselves, an approach that conflicted withthat of GSCASH, which focused on gender sensitisation withworkshops, films and meetings.
JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Geeta Kumari, whowas also a student representative to GSCASH in 2015, saidthough it was important to learn martial arts, anti-sexualharassment bodies should focus on gender sensitisationinitiatives.
"A woman should be left undisturbed not because she knowskarate, but out of regards to her freedom and choice," shesaid.
The ICC, set up by the JNU administration replacingGSCASH amid opposition from many sections, began its 10-dayself-defence training in collaboration with the Delhi Policeon October 23.
Student Swati Simha, who boycotted the training, said theproblem with the measure was that it was a "remedial approach"that put the onus on the victim on defending herself againstsexual harassment.
"Our physical prowess cannot be a mechanism to fight forgender justice. By participating in such events we do not wantto legitimise victim blaming," she said.
ICC presiding officer Vibha Tandon, however, stressedthat self-defence training was an important part of nationalpolicy.
"I don't think doing anything positive for women iswrong. We would also be conducting gender sensitisationprogrammes which will be announced shortly," Tandon said.
Some ICC members have also been accused of not having anyexperience in handling sexual harassment cases.
"The committee is constituted with members who have noprior experience in working with any body that deals withgender," former JNUSU general secretary Satarupa Chakrabortysaid.
Teachers' union president Ayesha Kidwai stressed suchsessions did not address harassment.
"Can a woman student give a karate chop to her PhDsupervisor when he touches her inappropriately? Will theuniversity not immediately punish her if she did," she asked.
However, an ICC member who asked not to be named saidseveral gender sensitisation initiatives were in pipelinewhich the committee would announce in the coming weeks.
"We recently came across an incident in which a womanstudent complained about a security guard who stared at herwhile she was practising yoga. On asking the guard heexplained he had never seen women doing yoga in his villageand was intrigued by it. Sensitising such people needs time,"the member said.
JNUSU has been spearheading a protest against theuniversity administration and UGC demanding the reinstatementof GSCASH. PTI CPBBDS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.