Burdwan University Professor and Leftist Ideologue Accused of Habitual Sexual Harassment in Bengal

Dr Angshuman Kar is Professor of English Literature at a University in West Bengal during the past two decades. Along with his identity as a University Professor, Kar has earned for himself the position of an established poet and Leftist ideologue whose articles are regularly published in the CPI (M) daily, Ganashakti, and its literary mouthpiece, Nandan.

A viral audio clip that is doing its rounds in the social media for the past few days is a dialogue between the wife of the Professor and one of his students. In the course of the conversation, his wife is heard to have attested to his sexual predatory behaviour during the last twenty years. According to his wife, girls have exchanged sexual favours with Dr Kar in lieu of marks in examinations or lucrative placements in colleges and universities. In the long audio clip, the wife of the Professor mentions the names of his students, whom she knows to have benefitted from such illicit understandings. She has categorically cited the names of women who are now themselves working in permanent positions in colleges due to the favour bestowed on them by the Professor. The local television channels have reported the news and the social media platforms are enraged with a protest against such serial instances of harassment; but the authorities at the Burdwan University, where the accused Professor works, are completely silent on the matter.

It is worth mentioning that a few days ago, there was a tussle between the Higher Education Minister and the Governor of West Bengal regarding the appointment of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor in the University. This time, too, because the accused Professor is an ideologue of CPI (M) and a leader of the anti-CAA-NRC Movement in the university town, there is a full-fledged initiative from the concerned circles to protect him.

Although the Students’ Union of the University and a section of the teachers are enraged at the excesses the Professor has exercised over a long period of time; no steps have been initiated against him yet. During the tenure of the previous Vice-Chancellor, Smriti Kumar Sarkar, a serious allegation of divulging the final exam question papers had surfaced against Professor Kar. However, he managed to exploit his Leftist and TMC connections to save his skin and escape untouched. On the other hand, Smriti Kumar Sarkar was labelled as RSS man and was accused of framing Kar out of his vindictive attitude. Professor Sarkar still thinks that an enquiry committee should have been constituted against Kar, the allegations properly investigated and actions taken against those guilty.

This incident at Burdwan University is only the tip of the iceberg. It is only one of the numerous examples in the State in which Leftist leaders and theoreticians among the Bengal University teachers seek sexual favours from students. Complaints had also been lodged against two Professors from Jadavpur University, from the Departments of History and Comparative Literature respectively. No investigation was done, no justice delivered. This was primarily because these two gentlemen have earned the label of ‘Progressive’ for themselves and have been in the forefront of the movements against the Central Government. Despite the deposition of the CCTV footage of a Delhi hotel by the victim, ironically, the accused Professor has successfully received promotions from the University authorities.

The same questions have surfaced with the screenshots and the audio files of the Burdwan University coming to light. Can every offender go scot-free if he has donned the ‘Progressive’ robe and has led processions against the Central Government? Sangita Sanyal, leader of a Nationalist Teachers’ Association at the University, has demanded an immediate enquiry into the matter. The security of girl students and the reputation of the University are intimately associated with it, she said.

But the ex-Naxalites, who are now a part of the Government in West Bengal, have already started exercising their influence to protect their comrades. The Vice-Chancellor, Nimai Saha, has also not shown any sign of any action in this regard.