RGNUL Row: State women's panel suggests immediate sacking of VC; NLU Patiala reopens tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Taking suo motu cognizance of the recent incident at the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL) Patiala involving the university vice-chancellor Jai Shankar Singh, the Punjab State Women's Commission has recommended the immediate removal of professor. This comes amid ongoing student protests at the university against the VC who allegedly invaded girls’ privacy by entering their hostels unannounced and making sexist comments.

The state’s Human Rights Commission has also filed a complaint against Singh, demanding action and protection of privacy rights of female students.

Meanwhile, the university has announced that it will open tomorrow, September 27. “All the faculty and staff members are hereby informed that the university will reopen with effect from September 27 and classes shall be held as per time table,” RGNUL said in an official notice.

In a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, the women rights panel took note of the incident under its powers and narrated the whole affair. The commission found VC’s actions “highly inappropriate”.

“The Commission finds the vice-chancellor's actions highly inappropriate and a clear overstep of his administrative role. His behavior has led to serious concerns regarding the safety, dignity, and rights of the female students, and it has eroded their trust in the university's leadership,” it said in the letter.

RGNUL incident: Complaint against VC

A copy of the complaint letter submitted by the Human Rights Commission is given below.

The present complaint received on 25.09.2024, from Lawyers for Human Rights International(Regd.) office at #516, Sector 11-B, Chandigarh through Advocate Tejinder Singh Sudan, son of Kirapl Singh, resident of House No. 1727, Phase 5, Sector 59, SAS Nagar(Mohali), wherein, the complainant has alleged that as per the news item, respondent No. 2, Le Professor, Dr. Jai S. Singh, Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala, entered into the female students hostel and rooms on 22.09.2024 without any female staff member or prior notice to them or the hostel warden about the visit and passed various remarks on the clothing of the female students. It is further alleged that the students were not even given proper time to dress appropriately as some of the students were coming out of the washrooms. As per the enclosed copy of news item students have been protesting after the said incident and the university has closed till further orders. It is further alleged that despite request from the student side their grievances have not been redressed. The complainant has further stated that said news item and videos are being circulated on social media. The complainant has requested to take action in the matter and protect the fundamental rights of privacy of the female students. From the circumstances it appears to be a violation of fundamental rights of the female students and this Commission takes cognizance of the same and the inquiry of the same be marked to the Deputy Commissioner Patiala, who may look into the same and submit his report before the next date of hearing.