Keralan MPs Demand Dismissal of Cases Against EFLU Students, Action Against Sexual Assault Accused

A number of Keralan MPs have requested the dismissal of complaints against English and Foreign Languages University students in Hyderabad. The students had staged a demonstration to demand the resignation of the proctor and vice-chancellor and the restoration of the committee against sexual harassment.

The MPs have also demanded that individuals responsible for an alleged incident of sexual assault that occurred on the Central University of Hyderabad campus, hours after the October 18 student demonstration was called off, face consequences.

Legislators have also accused Keralan students of being deliberately singled out for harassment. Out of the eleven students facing allegations of unlawful assembly, inciting animosity between groups, inciting riots, and common object, six are from Kerala.

About 300 EFLU students started the demonstration on October 16 in order to demand the resignation of proctor T. Samson and vice-chancellor E. Suresh Kumar as well as the reconstruction of the committee for Sensitization to, Prevention of, and Redressal for Sexual Harassment (Sparsh).

However, a female student was allegedly sexually attacked on campus at 10 p.m. on October 18, by two guys wearing hoodies, in an area lacking security cameras and with low illumination, barely hours after the unrest was put to an end.

On October 19, a case was opened, and the female student's statement was taken down. We still don't know who the two attackers are.

Students have charged that despite being alerted shortly after the sexual assault, university administration did nothing to stop it. Rather, a complaint was filed by the university administration against eleven students who took part in the demonstration.

In a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, CPM Rajya Sabha member John Brittas requested that the cases against the 11 students be dropped.

In addition, he has claimed: "It has also been brought to my notice that the EFLU authorities have been deliberately targeting students from Kerala, as evidenced by the fact that six of the 11 students accused in the FIR are from the state."

In a letter to National Commission for Women chairperson Rekha Sharma, Brittas's party colleague in the Rajya Sabha, V. Sivadasan, asked for protection for students on the EFLU campus, emphasizing that the alleged sexual assault had occurred just hours after security personnel had physically restrained the protesting students.

The letter stated, "I have learned that the attackers mentioned the victim's involvement in the same protest during the assault incident."

It has been noted that the incident took place the same evening that students were subjected to violent acts by campus security staff.

In a letter to Pradhan, Congressman Hibi Eden of Ernakulam Lok Sabha demanded an immediate end to any "systematic targeting or discrimination against students from Kerala."

Writing to Pradhan, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, a member of the Indian Union Muslim League's Lok Sabha, has demanded that the lawsuit against the students be immediately dropped, "considering their future and the need for a fair and transparent resolution."

P.V. Abdul Wahab, his party colleague and a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Kerala, has made a similar demand.