The Gujarat High Court today expressed shock at incidents of rape, molestation, discrimination, homophobia and favouritism at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar, as revealed by the report of a fact-finding committee.A Bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee slammed the GNLU administration for its earlier claims that nothing had happened at the law school.“This report is really scary. It is scary,” the Chief Justice remarked after examining the contents of the report, which was submitted in a sealed cover.The report was submitted by the committee headed by former High Court judge Justice Harsha Devani, which had been constituted to look into allegations of sexual harassment and homophobia at GNLU, as revealed in a news report.The committee had been reconstituted on the basis of an order in a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) initiated by the High Court after allegations of rape of one student and harassment of another queer student at GNLU were reported in Ahmedabad Mirror last year.Today, the Court lauded the committee for being categorical in its findings and for doing a "tremendous job". On the revelations made in the report, the Court said,“Incidents of molestation, rape, discrimination, homophobia, favouritism, suppression of voice, lack of Internal Complaints Committee, lack of information to the students about Internal Complaints Committee."Questioning how such incidents can take place at a national law university, the Court recalled that the GNLU Registrar had earlier filedan affidavit denying the allegations and urging the Court to close the suo motu proceedings.“He had the audacity to say this in the court when the court is seized with the matter. How will these people protect the children?” Chief Justice Agarwal asked.The Court further remarked that it was so difficult for students to speak about the incidents that the committee had to provide a questionnaire to garner their responses.“It was so difficult for the students to speak and they are students of law. If the voices of students of law are suppressed, who will speak in the country? They are supposed to protect others, they are supposed to help others whose voices are to be heard in the society,” it said.If the voices of students of law are suppressed, who will speak in the country?Chief Justice Sunita AgarwalThe Court went on to note that the names of the accused have been revealed and a categorical statement has been made that a politically-influential person was involved in suppressing the case before police.It further said the Court had no reason to disbelieve the students.“How can we expect the students to be stating something wrong and why would they do it? They are studying in the institution and they have no personal grudges against any of the faculty members.”Stressing that a high-level inquiry was required into the affairs of GNLU and its faculty, the Court asked Advocate General (AG) Kamal Trivedi to suggest an authority which should be asked to act on the report. At the end of today’s hearing, Chief Justice Agarwal also expressed that she was particularly concerned about the students, who are supposed to be the protectors of law in future. “I am most concerned about those law students. How would they come out in society? They are the protectors of law. Then all these lectures, talks, all these seminars…everything goes to rubbish. It has no meaning at all.If this is the state of affairs in a law college, then we cannot show our faces to anyone,” the judge said.
In its order, the Bench said that action was required to be taken on the report by a competent body. The amicus curiae and the AG were asked to assist the Court in this regard.
The matter will be heard next on March 12.
TAGS: Gujarat High Court Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) Fact-finding committee
