VARANASI: Over 800 foreign students enrolled in different courses on BHU campus kept cautiously away from the student protest on September 23 against the molestation of an undergraduate girl student of fine arts. They just watched everything from a distance.
They feel that participating in stirs would distract them from their studies and precisely September 23 protests were more about an issue related to Indians whereas, otherwise as well, talking about the problems plaguing the campus is a sensitive issue in BHU.
On the issue of eve-teasing having attained the proportion of being a menace on campus, the girls feel that it is prevalent and a common problem in BHU unlike other university campuses in India including Delhi University and JNU.
"Yes we too face the problem every now and then since it is an open campus and everyone is allowed entry," says Tenzing (Tibet), a student of Mass Communication final year.
There are four hostels (two each for boys and girls) for foreign students in the university campus and up to 15 per cent seats are reserved for them under various UG and PG level courses.
While stepping out of hostel during the evenings is a bit unsafe for girls as they are sometimes ambushed by the rowdy, anti-social elements on campus," says Divyasha from Mauritius. Though foreign students did not join the protest but the problems are common, she feels.
"Being in a different country we have our own problems. We respect women a lot. It is very difficult to be a woman in India society," feels Ahmad from Yemen, a research scholar of English Literature..
A woman has to be a fighter, take care of life of everyone around making the family and then she faces such ugly situations as well. We feel sorry for Indian women," adds Ahmad. Though he denies having faced any hostile situation at the hands of Indian students during his two year stay in BHU.
To this Tenzin feels that Indians keep the foreigners in very high esteem on campus. They take good care of them. "Oh, We girls get special status and treatment by the BHU students," she maintains.
Though while being on campus a few murmurs were there about the African girls and boys sometimes subjected to bullying by the Indian students. "Yes there have been a few cases in the past and the African girls have to face it more than the boys. But we get support from administration," reveals Warren from Zimbabwe adding that if girls would be asked about it they won't come out but actually they face the slur on their colour.