NLSIU Bangalore professor V Nagaraj allegedly shamed a student on Monday for wearing shorts to his lecture, and allegedly cast aspersions on the student’s character when she objected to the statements of the professor over her attire.
In protest, the entire third-year LLB class attended Nagaraj’s lecture wearing shorts this morning: the class stood up in protest, demanding an apology from Nagaraj; the professor refused to apologise, confirmed sources in the class, and the lecture did not take place.
Nagaraj denied any wrongdoing when contacted by Legally India but said he expected decorum in students’ dress sense (see below).
According to a “statement of condemnation” with allegations by third-year students, emailed to the vice chancellor, all faculty members, the exam department and all law students:
As many students of the III year batch of B.A., LL.B. (Hons.), NLSIU, we issue this statement strongly condemning the extremely shameful incident in which a Professor has made inappropriate remarks to a III year student in our presence.
We are extremely aggrieved about the fact that:
a. The Professor publicly shamed the student for the clothes she chose to wear, and
b. The Professor cast aspersions on the students character for voicing her concerns.
The incident under protest is as follows:
The student in question, like various other students, had worn shorts to class. On noticing the shorts, the said Professor chastised the student before the entire class by asking her to “dress properly.” The student was deeply uncomfortable with the remark, as were many of us, since we do not think it is correct for a teacher to impose his/her notions about appropriate clothing upon the students. The student in question, who was scolded by the said Professor, thought it necessary to further discuss the matter with him and not to overlook it as another instance of moral policing. Upon approaching the teacher and raising objections regarding his statement, the student, to our dismay, was again rebuked by the Professor and was exposed to a plethora of untoward comments.
In the presence of many of us, the Professor went to the extent of drawing an extremely distasteful analogy as to why the student should not wear shorts and said, “We all know why parents marry their children off - so that they can have sex. Just because the parents marry off their children for this reason, it does not mean that the children have sex in front of their parents.”
Needless to add, we were all stunned into silence on hearing a distinguished member of the faculty make such a crude comment. The student was appalled at this reasoning and respectfully objected to the same. The Professor then proceeded to cast aspersions on the character of the student. He denounced her credibility entirely and went on to state,“You can come to class without a dress also. That is how your character is, I’m going to ignore you.”
This incident left the student in an uncomfortable position with her character being called into question by the said Professor because she attempted to question his method of public censure. As a consequence of this incident, the student has been extremely aggreived and has asked the Vice-Chancellor to look into the matter and we hope that action will be taken by him against the said Professor.
We find such behaviour extremely unacceptable, especially coming from a Professor, who students are expected to consider as a role model. NLS has taught us to value discourse above everything else and to be tolerant of individual choices. The behaviour highlighted above goes against the spirit of this institution. Therefore, we believe it is imperative that such aberrant actions be denounced by the University as a whole with immediate effect. We also demand that a public apology be issued by the teacher in question to the concerned student and the institution as a whole.
In solidarity with the concerned student, and as a mark of protest against the Professor, we choose to exercise our right to personal expression and comfort by wearing shorts to the class of the concerned Professor. However, we would like to clarify that this statement is not merely against moral policing, but also, in particular, against the derogatory remarks made by the Professor.”
When contacted by Legally India, Nagaraj commented: “Nothing like [what is described in the statement] happened. Students are making false and baseless allegations. It is for the university authorities to examine this incident. This is the first time that students have made such a statement [whereas] I have been teaching for 27 years.”
“I had already informed the vice chancellor and the registrar, by email, when the incident happened on Monday. Then I reminded them on phone. But the VC is out of station and the university has taken no action so far so it has become a free for all,” he added.
Nagaraj told Legally India that there was no written dress code for students in NLSIU’s rules currently but he has asked the university administration to issue clarifications about the dress code to the students, especially keeping in mind that “certain decorum” is expected from students attending lectures taken “especially by a senior faculty member”.
NLSIU vice chancellor Prof Venkat Rao was not reachable for comment by phone at the time of going to press.
The NLSIU sexual harassment committee’s former in-charge, Prof VS Elizabeth, replied to the statement and all addressees via email:
As someone who has been guilty of having reprimanded at least one woman student in the past and then brought to realise how sexist my attitude had been, by the batch of 2017, I must say that it is important that all of us, particularly, faculty should think before we make comments, particularly should not be casting aspersions on people's character based on what they wear or don't wear. After all the amount of cloth we use to cover our bodies does not proportionately reflect our morality. Many sexual abusers of children and women most certainly wear more clothes, does it mean that they are more moral than the rest of us?
I realised during the classroom discussion that took place, at least two years ago, that the problem was with my attitude and not with the young woman who wore those micro mini shorts.
I have never liked my colleagues' comments about what I wear or don't wear and have always opposed any dress code being imposed on the faculty, though there have been colleagues who wished to do so. I am really sorry that one of my colleagues said things that are unwarranted and caused pain to one of the students.
This sort of thing should not happen in an institution like ours.
UPDATE: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the vice chancellor has responded to the complaint on general email addressed to everyone who recieved the original email from the students.
Photo by Alan Patrick
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And well done to the kids, standing up for their batchmate like that. Similar to a previous protest where most of the women on campus stood outside the Vice-Chancellor's office in salwar-kameez-dupattas in order to protest his comments regarding their clothes getting them eve-teased in Nagarbhavi.
These sorts of things really ought not to be said at Law School. It's antithetical to everything taught there.
The story has gone viral on the alumni threads, so hopefully RVR will be forced to do something, and at least extract an apology
And yes, he was thrown out of NLIUO.
I sincerely hope you are not an actual student at NLSIU, because the level of argument is atrocious and furthermore the amount of whataboutery and Straw Man, makes my head hurt. Get a proper education and don't waste your time in law school.
Why doesn't she SHARIC him? (For non-NLS, this is the Sexual Harassment code). His comments are sufficient ground.
Also, the the scamster under the name "Batchmate", those concerns have been discussed as well. We do not talk about our right to nudity. Please read closely. We condemn characterization and slut shaming based on attire.
Full Disclosure: I dont have any medical problems.
However, this process managed to create rather patriotic, educated and well rounded citizens. So respectfully let us fly the Pirate Flag!!
First FTII then Hyderabad University, then JNU and now NLS. We can't allow such jokers to hold educational institutions to ransom.
"Jungle Jungle baat chali hai pata chala hai..
Arre chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai phool khila hai"
This is not a private affair. It's a unanimous show of support, a declaration that Law School is a safe space. Your character is judged by your deeds and achievements, not looks.
Plus, there is no better way to honour our professors than by practicing what they preach - don't accept injustice.
When contacted by Legally India, Nagaraj commented: “Nothing like [what is described in the statement] happened. Students are making false and baseless allegations. It is for the university authorities to examine this incident. This is the first time that students have made such a statement [whereas] I have been teaching for 27 years.”
Do read and understand that the university authorities already know of the incident and are ignoring it.
“I had already informed the vice chancellor and the registrar, by email, when the incident happened on Monday. Then I reminded them on phone. But the VC is out of station and the university has taken no action so far so it has become a free for all,” he added.
Maybe the student doesn't want to lodge a formal complaint which could have worse consequences for the professor. At most, it would've involved a forced apology. That is her prerogative. It could've been resolved with an apology, no? The decision not to teach was solely the prof's.
Let me start a movement named
HUTT VENKATT !
Secondly, due to advent of feminism, which is slowly becoming the root cause of all this rebellious attitude among girls, we have seen in them a desire to break all norms and decorum. And to defend that, they will go to the extent of making false allegations on people to create an issue. I am quite sure that the professor said not much more than objecting to her dressing sense during the lecture and it has been blown out of proportion.
Now, it is the era of rebels and indiscipline mongers. Thus, I can only have sympathy for those who dislike my comment without having any deep analysis of the issue in hand.
"The advent of feminism" has made women rebellious and I agree. Except for some reason you assume that such rebellion is a bad thing. When a rebellion does occur, it occurs because the dominant regime governing the rebels is considered unjust. In this case, the "rebellion" happens to be against the patriarchal notions of morality that fuels the professor's inappropriate remarks regarding the student's character. Regardless of the presence of a fabled dress code in the campus and her being in violation of the same, nothing justifies the making of such remarks and questioning the'character' of the girl based on her choice of clothes. The appropriate punishment (again, hypothetical) could have been to simply send her out of the class or something like that.
And haha, if you are going to say that feminism is a movement limited to women alone, I pity your grasp on the premises which form your argument in the first place. And FYI, there have been multiple complaints from male students against the concerned professor. Just not in an institutional manner.
Cheers.
Peace out
As far as I know Nagaraj sir, I am of very certain opinion that he would have intended that way. He is being taken wrongly. There is whole lot of other side of this story which needs investigation.I would love if legally India comes up with that part as well. I have been scolded many a times by nagaraj sir, but he never shames anyone. Rather than entering into such debates there is always a better way of solving these problems and issues. Country never works through protest.
Fact of the matter is that if you back down and let the apologists get away with it with the most ridiculous excuses like 'Oh! I didn't mean it!, I say the same to boys a swell!, I only wanted to enforce discipline!' You are appeasing Slut Shaming and Sexual Harassment.
I am noticing that the third year batch is backing down, and saying stuff like we don't want to make an accusation and want an inquiry to determine and such levels of malarky. Stay strong, and call a spade a spade, if no one makes the accusation, then the Professor has no charge to answer.
If you are still not convinced and what to give this Professor more rope (preferably to hang himself with), Please think, is a Professor who does not 'understand' or know how harmful words can be and is so full of his being a senior professor that he can't recognise sexual harassment (when he himself commits it), a Professor who should be teaching in the 'No.1' Law School in India!
Fight the good fight and remains strong, no matter what the idiots say. NLS is an important institution, which should at the very least ensure that women students aren't slut shamed inside class rooms.
They make it seem like we're an irate bunch of students fighting for our right to wear shorts. Incorrect. We KNOW we have the right to dress as we please; this institution has made that very clear. And the institution, its legacy and culture are much greater than one professor who is offended by our casual dressing style. Our right of wearing weather appropriate clothes (Bangalore is seeing its hottest year) is not being challenged by the University itself.
What is being protested, is the professor's remarks which denigrate the character of a girl just because of the length of her shorts. You're essentially saying, your class participation, thoughts etc don't matter, skimpy clothes means you deserve to be labelled shameless and your presence in this class is unnecessary.
Also, as far as I'm concerned, if you're too distracted by my clothing then that is not my problem, it is yours. Maybe if you weren't so oversexualized (or repressed) that shorts inflame you and distract you ...
1. Is there a social consensus on the concept of appropriate attire, if not its contents? – Well, I won’t go to my grandfather’s funeral in swimming trunks and certainly not to a pool party in a three piece suit. So, in a sense we as individuals do have an understanding of the far posts of appropriateness of attire.
2. Is this a women’s issue? – Notwithstanding the present case, I don’t think it is. In other law schools for instance guys wearing shorts have been asked to leave the class. So, it is not a matter that only affects women students, though one must concede that when it does concern them it comes with a certain amount of value judgment.
3. What is the breadth of the right to wear clothing of one’s choosing? – Strictly speaking the law allows one to wear anything short of being naked, which is punishable under the IPC. However, we know that this is not the way how the above right actually plays out. A case in point is the strict guidelines that law firms issue to new recruits on grooming and attire. One would be surprised as to how detailed such HR manuals can be – some even go so far as to state the size of the nose pin! And the fact is most Associates abide by it quite fastidiously even though they may not like it. So, the natural question would be whether the right to wear clothing of one’s choosing can be circumscribed contractually? And if so, can the same be done by a university?
4. Can a professor raise objections to certain type of attire in classrooms without his motivation being “moral policing”? – Now for instance, if I have a job interview – even though the job may be with an NGO that counts turtle eggs – I would still prefer trousers to shorts. However, on the other hand I would happily wear shorts to class. So, why do we see differential reactions to somewhat similar choices? The answer to this is simple: the importance that I accord to a job interview is any day greater than a class lecture as a job interview has a more material impact on my life as opposed to a class lecture, which for most of us is merely a daily ritual. Therefore, can a professor legitimately raise an objection to the casualness of my attire (wearing of shorts) as emblematic of the lack of importance I accord to class lectures and as an extension the class room as a space for learning?
Once you concede that what the Professor said was misogynistic, there really is no scope for any further pontification. As has been made clear over and over again, the issue is not about 'Dress Code'. A Professor has the right i suppose to exclude whomsoever from their class, if the the said person is in violation of rules of decorum etc. In this case the Professor concedes there is no such rule, so the exclusion was wrong, thereafter he has made remarks that are completely unacceptable and unconscionable, hence the protest.
If you want to canvass for a 'Dress Code' please go ahead, but don't use a Professor's 'slut shaming' as your spring board. And to your point about this not being a woman's issue. I am sorry but it sure as hell is. When a male student is excluded from class for wearing shorts, it is rare that it is accompanied by the innuendo of promiscuity or sexual deviance, let alone a full blown assault on the character of the student in this case.
NLSIU administration may impose whatever Dress Code it wants, it would be a stupid move, but this protest is not about a dress code, its about why a Woman's dress is used to launch attacks of sexual deviance and innuendo against her and why this is wrong.
Also, they've been quite decent over the last year or so in acknowledging our scoops, as we do theirs, which is a nice kind of friendly rivalry to have in this space, so no need to be too harsh in this case.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Poll-on-professor-comment-on-shorts/polls/51743273.cms
This is the only source which actually explains the incident. Others seem more interested in misrepresenting the scenario by putting up pictures of girls in shorts in other locations which really have no resemblance to Ground Zero situation...
www.firstpost.com/india/nlsiu-prof-slut-shames-law-student-for-wearing-shorts-classmates-protest-by-showing-up-to-class-in-shorts-2719142.html
www.firstpost.com/india/nls-prof-slut-shaming-student-in-shorts-is-not-surprising-it-shows-how-indias-premier-law-school-behaves-like-a-khap-panchayat-2720450.html
At least Firstpost mentioned LI; TOI is generally the worst offender. They nearly never ever mention any other publication.
A third seems to be about Sharia law, another third about how much they hate Modi, and another third about how Cong and AAP are corrupt.
Brilliant. :)
We should not get influenced by western culture. Women should b given protection. 1 of the aspects of protection is also the protection against the propaganda I.e going on in the society that if girls don't wear western clothing & mingle with boys then they r termed as old- fashioned,low standard, backward mentality etc. This must b stopped at all cost.
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