, March 20 -- In a startling development, Delhi's Health minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, has urgently appealed to the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) to promptly and decisively address allegations of sexual assault against a professor at

BSA College, Rohini. He expressed profound concern regarding the safety and security of female students in medical colleges and criticised the Chief Secretary for displaying an apparent lack of empathy towards the victims.

Minister Bharadwaj stressed, "The safety and security of girl students in a medical college are paramount." He questioned why the Health Secretary had not immediately reported the incident and expressed dismay over the Chief Secretary's defence of the accused individual.

This call to action follows Bharadwaj's earlier demand on March 18, 2024, for stringent measures against the accused professor. He vehemently directed immediate action against the college Principal and Head of the Department for allegedly pressuring students to retract their complaints.

The Minister voiced his disappointment over the inaction in the matter, stating, "I am shocked to see the Chief Secretary attempting to defend the culprits with lame excuses." The Chief Secretary justified the Health Secretary's failure to disclose the incident, despite clear directives from the Health Minister.

According to the reports, the victims resorted to individually approaching the police after both the Vigilance Department and Health Department failed to act timely. Furthermore, the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) faced criticism for delaying the submission of its report for over 1.5 months.

In a scathing letter, Minister Bharadwaj criticized the Chief Secretary for defending the Health Secretary, Vigilance Department, and ICC in his Action Taken Report (ATR), despite allegations of their involvement in the matter.

The case highlights the pressing need for comprehensive measures to address sexual harassment in educational institutions and underscores the difficulties faced by victims in seeking justice. As the investigation progresses, attention is focused on the authorities to ensure accountability and deliver justice to the affected students.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.