Chennai: The Chennai police have filed a case against an assistant professor of Chennai's Kalakshetra, a prestigious institution for classical arts, on a complaint of sexual harassment filed by a survivor, a former woman student. A case was filed against Hari Padman today, days after around 200 students, both women and men, started protesting, alleging sexual harassment, body-shaming and verbal abuse by this faculty member and three repertory artists. Earlier, the national commission for women had called these allegations a disinformation campaign.
Around 90 students had given a complaint to the state women's commission chief yesterday. Chief Minister MK Stalin has assured legal action against anyone found guilty. The National Commission for Women had also dismissed the charges as baseless.
The students allege that they have faced years of sexual harassment, body-shaming, verbal abuse and discrimination based on their skin colour at Kalakshetra. They also allege that the administration has been indifferent and unresponsive to their complaints. On Thursday, they wrote to the Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy and the Chief Minister MK Stalin, seeking the removal of Director Revathi Ramachandran for alleged inaction and the reconstitution of the internal complaints committee.
Kalakshetra Foundation, founded in 1936 by dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale, is an institute of national importance that offers courses in Bharatanatyam dance, Carnatic music and other traditional arts. It is known for its high standards of excellence and discipline and has produced many eminent artists over the decades.