In a development that has largely gone unreported, many students of Kalakshetra Foundation who were investigated by the police have not made any sexual harassment charges against the institution’s teacher Haripadman who is now behind bars in Puzhal jail.
Following a complaint from one of his former students, Hari Padman, a Kalakshetra alumnus and teacher at the institute since 2002, was arrested on 3 April 2023, on charges of alleged sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. Hari Padman was apprehended from Madhavaram, north Chennai, and remains in judicial custody.
The Kalakshetra Foundation’s board of directors had formed an independent inquiry committee to look into allegations of sexual harassment leveled against several teachers. In addition to suspending Padman pending the outcome of the investigation, the board had also terminated the services of three other teaching faculty members: Sanjith Lal, Sai Krishnan, and Sreenath.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) which had taken cognizance of the case found no evidence to support the allegations.
The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women had also began to look into the allegations and obtained statements from students. AS Kumari, the head of Tamil Nadu State Women’s Commission had given an interview to a YouTube channel in which she alleges that she got more than 100 complaints of sexual harassment, casteism etc.
Accordingly, the State Women’s Commission submitted a report to the police and recommended that 162 girl students from Kalashetra be investigated.
Around 15 female students were investigated by police from the Adyar All Women Police Station in the last two weeks but most of the students did not make any accusations of sexual harassment against Hari Padman, other teachers or the institution. Each student was reportedly investigated in person or at their homes. A few students reportedly told the police that they had nothing to do with the complaint and said that they did not make any sexual harassment charges against Hari Padman. They told the police that the teachers at Kalakshetra are kind and share good respect. The rest of the 162 complaints will be investigated in the coming days.
Earlier, a group of alumnae of Kalakshetra Foundation, had come out in support of Hari Padman, claiming that his conduct was good when they studied under him and that the case against him was fabricated.
However, leftist media outlets like The News Minute which had gone on a tirade against Kalakshetra Foundation accusing the institution of trying to silence voices and shielding the accused has gone silent now and has not even reported about this development.
Insiders from Kalakshetra who do not find themselves quoted in the mainstream media, say that this entire episode has been because of three teachers namely – Nirmala Nagarajan, Nandini Nagarajan and Indhu Nideesh – who harbour professional rivalry against Haripadman.
Divya Hari Padman, in her complaint to the Chennai Police Commissioner, had said that the students had lodged a false complaint against her husband at the instigation of Kalashetra professors Nirmala Nagarajan and Nandini Nagarajan.
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