Agra: A woman research scholar in Aligarh Muslim University ( AMU ) has filed a sexual harassment complaint with the university’s Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) against the head of the department of Petroleum Studies for using filthy language against her, besides asking for her local residential address and accusing her of being involved in “unlawful activities”. The professor allegedly insinuated that the woman could be involved in anti-national activities, just like another student who fled the university and joined the ranks of Hizbul Mujahideen.In her complaint, the research scholar stated that Hamid Ali, also the president of Aligarh Muslim University Teachers Association (AMUTA), wrote a mail to her asking for her residential address in Aligarh. She said, “It does not make sense to ask for a woman’s address unless one has the intention to stalk her, as all posts are delivered at my address for correspondence available with him, in addition to my email id.” She said that this all had been in reaction to her absence from the department due to the ill health of her mother.“The professor has been involved in baseless rumour-mongering about my private life in front of staff and students. He has used derogatory words against me. An assistant professor, Ashraf Mateen, who is in the same department, was present when Ali made these remarks. Any woman who is the subject of such derogatory language will be traumatised beyond words. She will feel that every gaze on her is outraging her modesty,” the woman said in her complaint.Mateen admitted that Ali’s behaviour towards the woman was inappropriate and he had used abusive language against her several times. Besides, in an official academic correspondence, Ali allegedly used words like “absconding”. The research scholar in her complaint stated, “It is not normal to use such words unless one is shrewdly scheming against the person in question.” Ali had written to the proctor that an FIR be lodged against the researcher because “she could be involved in unlawful activities”.The research scholar stated in her complaint that ALI had alleged she might be involved in anti-national activities, comparing her with Manan Wani, a geology department student who had gone missing from the university. His photos had later emerged on social media with him stating he had joined Hizbul Mujahideen.The researcher said such “baseless” allegations amounted to damaging her reputation and career.Interestingly, the research scholar’s supervisor Mohammad Kamil had written to the proctor saying, “No doubt the research scholar is irregular, but she has already informed the head of the department about her absence due to the poor health of her mother. She is the only child and her father has passed away. I fail to understand the motives of Ali behind suppressing this information.”University proctor Mohsin Khan said he had marked an inquiry into the incident and a report was yet to come. Ali refused to comment on the complaint filed by the research scholar. “Whatever I had to say, I had said or submitted to the inquiry committee,” he added.

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