The Madras High Court on August 28, commenced hearing on the Loyola College sexual harassment case in which the former Director of Loyola Alumni Association, Father Xavier Alphonse, had sexually harassed and abused an employee of the college.
Mary Rajasekharan, the petitioner in the case was appointed as an administrator in college in July 2010. She was abruptly terminated from her services after she complained of financial irregularities and sexual harassment by Father Xavier Alphonse.
She had filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court in February 2016 for taking action against Father Xavier Alphonse and also challenging her abrupt termination of services by Loyola College. The case was listed before a single bench and an order was issued to Father Xavier Alphonse and the Loyola College to respond within four weeks.
However, the Loyola College had failed to respond and the case gathered dust for four years at the court.
Justice Michael Saldanha had on July 21, 2020 wrote to the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court expressing his dismay over the case remaining stagnant for years and observed that it reflects very seriously on the judiciary.
On Friday (August 28), Justice N. Sathish Kumar presided over the hearing and inquired if the defendants (Loyola College and Father Xavier Alphonse) had filed their responses, or if he should pass an order. The defendants submitted that they had filed their response. In their response, they had denied all the allegations levelled against them by Mary. Mary who appeared for herself hit out at Father Xavier Alphonse and the Loyola administration left, right and centre. She expressed her trauma in detail tracing her entire legal battle.
Speaking about this to The Commune, the President of the All India Christian Forum (AICF) Savio Rodrigues said that it was disheartening to see an institution considered to be of repute taking the Indian judicial system for a ride. He said that they had not even followed the elemental process of forming an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) as mandated by the UGC guidelines and other statutes like the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and Vishaka Guidelines given by the Supreme Court. He also said that Mary was dissuaded by the college management from filing a police complaint citing that ‘it could affect the image of the college’.
“Why are they denying the allegations after four years? Why couldn’t they form an ICC when Mary had initially reported of sexual harassment?”, Savio asked.
Mr. Savio also said that the Vatican’s response in this regard has also been lackadaisical as pleas from Mary’s side fell on deaf ears with no concrete action taken. However, he has expressed hope that “justice will prevail at the end”.
Mr. Savio and his team at the AICF has been providing legal support to Mary.
#JusticeForMary Madras HC began hearing today after four-years. Judge inquired whether response filed or should he pass order. @lcchennai filed response. Denies all allegations. No answer to why no Internal Complaints Committee or restraining victim from going to TN police.
— Savio Rodrigues 🇮🇳 (@PrinceArihan) August 28, 2020
The next hearing has been posted to September 18.
Click here to know more about the case.