Kanak Sarkar, a professor of Jadavpur University (JU) who made objectionable, misogynistic and sexist comments on women in a Facebookpost on Sunday, has been suspended from taking class for an indefinite time.
The West Bengal government has also asked for a detailed report on this matter from the university authorities.
The International Relations department had a meeting with five faculty members and a group of students on Wednesday.
Omprakash Mishra, head of the department of International Relations, said after the meeting, “Mr Sarkar has been divested of his teaching duties with immediate effect. Substitute arrangements would be decided in the meeting of the board of studies scheduled on 18 January.”
READ | Kanak Sarkar case: NCW begins probe, team visits Jadavpur university
In the meeting, it was also decided that an internal inquiry committee would be formed and two representations had been sent to the Vice-Chancellor. The student-teacher committee of the department wants strict action against him.
Suranjan Das, vice-chancellor of JU, said on Wednesday: “This is a deplorable thing. It is beyond my imagination how any educated personality can comment like this. This has not only destroyed his reputation but also the university’s reputation has been shaken. Action will be taken against him according to law.”
He added: “The National Commission for Women has also sent a letter to us and the state Commission for Women recognised it as a suo moto case. Yesterday, I received a letter from the chairperson of State Commission for Women. Whatever assistance will be needed by the university, we will definitely cooperate with both the commissions. He will not be spared.”
Lina Ganguly, chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for Women, said, “We have sent a letter to the V-C regarding the offensive comments that the professor made and has asked the professor to be present before the commission within seven days.”
On Tuesday, students of the university came out with a demand for expulsion of the professor. They also claimed that Sarkar had earlier made offensive remarks to the students individually. The students shouted slogans for his expulsion during the afternoon inside the college campus and in front of the administrative building.
“Are you willing to buy a broken seal while purchasing a bottle of cold drink or a packet of biscuits? A girl is born sealed from birth until it is opened. A virgin girl means many things accompanied with values, culture, and sexual hygiene. To most boys, virgin wife is like angel,” Sarkar had said in his Facebook post on Sunday. He later deleted the post.
Kanak Sarkar had however posted similar messages on Facebook earlier too.
In a post on November 9, Sarkar had said boys and girls these days think that celibacy and virginity are not part of ethics and morality. This is the reason that girls end up being “exploited by the cunning boys”, Sarkar had said.