Lawrence Barnabas, a staff of Loyola College, Chennai, who has now been terminated, has accused the institution of harrasing and discriminating him just because he was a ‘low caste Christian’.
In his letter to the Tamil Nadu State Human Rights Commission, Lawrence explains his ordeal in which he details how the management of Loyola College physically, mentally and sexually harassed him.
Lawrence who had completed his B.Com from Loyola College had joined as personal assistant to the Alumni Association Director in October 2013 under one Rev. Fr. Xavier Alphonse. He had worked at the Alumni Association till June 2018.
During this stint, he had worked under Rev. Fr. Joseph Antony Samy SJ who was the Alumni Association Director from May 2015 to May 2016 and was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Thomas Amirtham SJ. who is currently the Principal and Director of Alumni Association of the college.
Lawrence had also had joined MBA in the same institution but could not complete the course allegedly due to the interference from Rev. Fr. Thomas Amirtham.
Trouble started for Lawrence when he confronted Thomas Amirtham for collecting donation money in cash. Lawrence had apparently told Amirtham that the money is always collected in cheques in favour of Director of Alumni Association or Principal Loyola College and not in cash. To this, Thomas Amirtham had allegedly abused Lawrence calling him a ‘low born’ and that he should behave like one.
Lawrence also stated that both Thomas Amirtham and one Balamurugan Janarthanan, who is the Secretary of Loyola Alumni Association, misappropriate funds for which he was made to write false accounts. When Lawrence expressed his displeasure, Balamurugan allegedly threatened him to remove him from the job. Lawrence states that Thomas Amirtham once again hurled casteist abuses calling him a ‘low born untouchable’ who is ‘meant for only sweeper job’.
There after, he was harrased and discriminated at every instance, Lawrence stated. His monthly telephone allowance of ₹500 was stopped but was made to sign its vouchers despite not getting the amount. His leaves were cut down and work hours were increased to harass him physically and mentally. He was also allegedly made to clean toilets.
Lawrence states that he was not allowed to use the alumni office rest room as he was a ‘low born’. He was not allowed to wear footwear before Thomas Amirtham as the latter felt he was not entitled to wear one. Lawrence mentioned in his letter that Thomas Amirtham once made him was his slippers. He was also not allowed to eat inside the office and was allegedly made to wash used plates and cups.
Once when he had requested for leave on Sundays as he was newly married Thomas Amirtham had allegedly told him that “low born like him breed like pigs and feed on others, and it was better to be away from his wife”.
Lawrence stated that he endured the ill-treatment due to his family’s financial conditions as he was the only son and two sisters were dependent on his earnings.
In June 2018, Lawrence met with an accident and couldn’t come to work for 2 months. When he went to re-join in August of that year he was told that his position has been filled by someone else. When he pleaded for his job the Secretary of the college Fr. Selvanayagam SJ he was allegedly insulted by his caste saying “all low born people need job in Loyola College”. Later, he was reluctantly offered a job at the bags section in the library.During his time at the library, he was made to sit outside under the hot sun and denied a fan. He was also forced to sweep and mop the library by Parthiban (Librarian) and Fr. Leonard (Director of Library). He was also not allowed to participate in birthday celebrations of colleagues and other event as he was a ‘low born’ and would ‘pollute the place’. Lawrence states in his complaint that he continued in the job despite the ill-treatment due to financial compulsions.
Lawrence states that matters became worse when Father Thomas Amirthan was promoted as the Principal of Loyola College in 2019. He states that he was made to clean the restrooms in the college. When he resisted, Thomas Amirthan threatened to sack him and confiscate his certificates. Father Thomas allegedly forced him to sign an apology letter for dereliction of duty for refusing to clean the toilet.
Lawrence was also sexually assaulted by one Gnanaprakasam multiple times. One while going to the restroom, Gnanaprakasam had grabbed Lawrence from behind and tried to kiss him. He also allegedly made lewd sexual jokes and showed him porn videos. He was threatened to be removed from the job if he complained about the sexual harassment to anyone.
Lawrence had complained about the sexual harassment to Director of Library Fr. Leonard but he states that his complaint was not entertained.
In December 2021, Lawrence shot an email to several people in the Loyola College administration detailing his ordeal. However, weeks after he had sent the email, two women who worked in the Library complained against Lawrence on 10th January 2022, accusing him of sexual harassment. In his defence, Lawrence states that they were much older and he always treated them as sisters. He also asked them to take a look at the CCTV footages if need be.
However, his defence fell on deaf ears and an inquiry was launched against Lawrence. He was made to appear before an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and was eventually terminated from his job on April 23, 2022. One of the member of the ICC had warned him that a few people in the management were ‘setting him up’.
His certificates were withheld for a long time and was released only on June 15 when word went out that his ordeal might make it to the media.
Lawrence states that he isn’t the only ‘Dalit’ Christian to be treated this way by the Loyola College management.
Jayaprakash, a Professor in Department of Service Learning was suspended for no reason. Another professor of BBA named Ram Kumar was also suspended. Anitha, who joined as a Receptionist was made to sweep who Lawrence states is under fear that she would lose her job if she complained about it.
Earlier, The Commune had reported about J. Buela, working as an Assistant Professor at the ‘School of Service Learning’ in Loyola College accusing the institution of indulging in caste discrimination and terminating ‘Dalit’ Chritian employees.
Lawrence states in his complaint that there are over 25 employees who have been harassed with fake complaints and fired, simply because they were “lower caste Christians”.
“Birth based discrimination as low born and high born is rampantly prevailing in Loyola College as a institution, that many like me is suffering in silence. If we resist or stand up we are branded as Anti-Christ, Anti-Socials and Anti-Christians, and will be ex-communicated from the Church and Christian Community”, Lawrence noted in his complaint.
This is not the first case of harassment reported in Loyola College, Chennai.
The Commune had earlier reported about the case of Josephine Jeyasanthi in which she was sexually harassed and abused by one Dr. S. Antony Rajarajan, who was the head of the Tamil department. She also had to put up with harassment from other authorities like Father Xavier Alphonse, the former Director of Loyola Alumni Association.
In another case, a woman named Mary Rajasekharan who was an administrator in the college, was sexually harassed by Father Xavier Alphonse.
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