Lagatar24 Network
Dumka, Feb 1: A section of tribal students locked the administrative building of the SKM University on Tuesday. They were furious over the ‘indifference’ to dismiss a lady Assistant Professor Rajni Murmu of Godda College over her remarks against the alleged lecherous conduct of male students towards girls during Sohrai festival.
Murmu had through her Facebook page alleged that boys often cross their limit and tend to tease the girls during the traditional group dance at S P College while celebrating the Sohrai festival of the Santhal tribal community.
Claiming to have herself undergone the misery while celebrating Sohrai festival at the S P College in Dumka on a previous occasion, Murmu allegedly said that girls students were even forced to be physically violated by boys by dragging them to bushes.
These remarks made by none other a tribal woman teacher however has since sparked large scale criticisms against her with tribal students from across all the constituent and affiliated colleges being mobilised to demand for her immediate dismissal from the SKM University.
“We had fixed January 31st the deadline for the dismissal of the Assistant Professor Rajni Murmu for passing such remarks as being derogatory to the entire tribal community,” Shyamdeo Hembrom, a student leader said adding that the remarks made by her also embarrassed the girl students elsewhere who enjoy the festival of Sohrai in its strict traditional fervour and chastity.
Hembrom went on to say that anyone responsible for passing derogatory remarks against age old tradition and culture of tribals must be strictly dealt with with someone belonging to the community and being a teacher the offence became even serious.
Meanwhile, hundreds of tribal students including girls from different colleges of the SKM University thronged to the University headquarter at Dighi and blocked the main gate of the administrative building as the university officials and employees were forced to stay outside helplessly for nearly two hours.
“The agitating students withdrew the stir only after they were assured about the lady Assistant Professor in question being directed to go on force leave” a SKMU official said preferring anonymity as neither the Vice Chancellor Sona Jharia Minj nor the Registrar Sanju Kumar Sinha could be contacted for the official version over the prevailing standoff.
