Faculty members, resident doctors, and staff at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow have declared their intention to stage a protest. This decisive action comes as a response to the police's failure to file a First Information Report (FIR) concerning an incident of alleged vandalism that occurred on the university campus last Friday. A crucial meeting to finalize the protest strategy is scheduled for Monday.
Incident and Escalation: From Allegations to Vandalism
The unrest erupted on Friday when a group, led by Aparna Yadav, the Vice Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Women’s Commission, entered the KGMU premises. The group's visit was prompted by allegations that the university administration was obstructing female students and faculty from reporting incidents related to so-called 'love jihad' to the Commission. The group sought a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Dr. Soniya Nityanand.
While waiting, several supporters allegedly tried to force their way into the V-C's office. The university administration subsequently reported acts of vandalism on campus. The chief proctor of KGMU filed a formal complaint at the Chowk police station, citing evidence from CCTV footage. However, the police have not yet registered an FIR, stating that their investigation into the complaint is still ongoing.
A Pattern of Intrusion and Mounting Security Concerns
Sources within the university revealed that Friday's event was not an isolated occurrence. In the past 14 days alone, there have been five similar instances where groups of individuals entered the campus demanding clarifications from the administration regarding an alleged 'love jihad' case.
This specific case involves a woman resident doctor from the pathology department who accused a colleague, Dr. Rameezuddin Nayak, of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion. The university's internal Vishaka committee found Dr. Nayak guilty of the allegations, and he was arrested by the Lucknow police on the same Friday the vandalism occurred.
"While this was the only incident of vandalism at the campus, in the past 14 days, there have been five such instances... The recent incident of vandalism has thus raised concerns of security," stated a senior KGMU faculty member.
University Community's Demands and Impending Action
In light of these events, the KGMU administration has expressed serious safety concerns, leading to a significant police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) presence being deployed on campus.
Speaking on behalf of the agitated university community, Professor K K Singh, a spokesperson from the surgery department, outlined two primary demands. "We have two main demands: addressing security concerns and filing an FIR regarding the incident. While the police have deployed a heavy presence on campus... the latter demand remains unmet," he said.
Professor Singh further explained that unions representing employees, resident doctors, nurses, and faculty members were immediately inclined to protest but were initially persuaded to pursue legal avenues to avoid disrupting patient care. With the FIR still not filed, patience is wearing thin. The scheduled Monday meeting will determine the final course of action, which may now include demonstrations to pressure authorities into registering the case.
