TIRUCHY: Tension prevailed at the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) campus located on the Tiruchy-Dindigul national highway on Wednesday after more than 100 students staged a protest against the remarks allegedly made by ViceChancellor (V-C) V Nagaraj on women’s attire during a class representatives’ meeting.
In a statement issued by the student community, the V-C, during a meeting with 12 class representatives held on April 15, said that women students wearing shorts “invite sexual harassment” and could be a “distraction even for faculty members”.
Students further alleged that he expressed pride in having made similar remarks during a 2016 controversy at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bengaluru and did not express regret. They said that during the same meeting, the V-C recalled the Bengaluru episode where he faced similar protests and defended his earlier stance.
A student taking part in the protest, said the V-C linked the issue to a past incident, claiming that a student in Bengaluru had died by suicide following alleged harassment over attire and that his remarks stemmed from that context.
Another student, requesting anonymity, said the issue surfaced only when students raised a separate demand to open the hostel terrace. “While responding, he brought up dress code and said such concerns were being expressed out of a fatherly attitude,” the student alleged. Students alleged that the V-C normalises harassment while placing the burden on women. They demanded a public apology, an institutional inquiry, and a formal clarification that clothing choices do not contribute to harassment.
The student body also called on other national law universities and members of the legal fraternity to express solidarity. Students further flagged the absence of a student bar association on campus. “We don’t have an elected forum to formally voice concerns. Our proposal has been pending for nearly four years,” a student said.
The protest began around 4.15 pm near the administrative block, with several students turning up in black clothes and trousers as a mark of dissent, and intensified as the V-C did not immediately appear to address the gathering. At one point, the agitated students attempted to move towards the V-C’s chamber. Around 6 pm, the V-C met students and said he would respond to “competent authorities” and did not wish to engage in a “cross-examination” at the venue. He did not apologise or offer further clarification.
Attempts by TNIE to reach him for comment went in vain. Registrar SM Balakrishnan told TNIE that the remarks were taken out of context and that the V-C was only referring to the earlier NLSIU incident. He also said the protest was held without prior permission. By 8 pm, students said they planned to continue the protest into the night, adding that the V-C remained inside the administrative block as they had surrounded the premises. They added that if there was no response, they would submit a representation to the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, who is also the university’s Chancellor.