The controversy surrounding Kalakshetra Foundation about alleged sexual harassment in the institution started when its former director Leela Samson made damning accusation in her Facebook post.
In her now-deleted Facebook post, Leela had accused a teacher (who she did not name) of sexual harassment and even linked him with another girl student calling her his ‘mistress’.
She had claimed that because of the said teacher, one of the alleged victims had an abortion and that she wanted to marry him.
In the next line, Leela Samson alleged that the teacher has an intern as a “mistress” and publicly shamed her by naming her . The context, tone and tenor of Leela Samson’s post gives away that she had used the word “mistress” with a sexual connotation.
The aggrieved intern who goes by the handle Believeinkarma (@karmayogi_06) on Twitter had registered a complaint against Leela Samson for unwarrantedly tarnishing her and outraging her modesty in public forum.
The Adyar All Women Police Station which is investigating the allegations against Kalakshetra Foundation and Haripadman, is also probing the complaint against Leela Samson.
According to journalist Sandhya Ravishankar, the police closed the complaint against Samson and when the complainant had asked the reason, she was told that “mistress” means “ejamaani” (in Tamil ejamaani means a feudal landlady).
Apparently when Leela Samson was questioned, the explanation she offered was that she meant the word Mistress to be “leader” since the intern took tuitions for Haripadman’s son.
The police were reportedly satisfied with this explanation and closed the case as Leela Samson had already took down her post.
The aggrieved student has alleged that Leela Samson has been made to go scot free despite it being a clear case of cyber bullying, harassment, and defamation.
“Take it to the court”, Leela Samson had apparently told the student victim.
'TAKE IT TO THE COURT' this is what she told me.
Ma'am, you don't have to worry about my next step. The way you responded to all my questions will also be taken to the court. Completely lost my trust over the Police.
Anyway, Thanks https://t.co/oDW0FHu1mY— Believeinkarma (@karmayogi_06) May 31, 2023
It must be noted that Leela Samson’s Facebook posts along with articles published by the likes of The News Minute had snowballed into a controversy with full fledged protests by students with the institution closing down temporarily. Dance teacher Haripadman, who became the main target of the protest is now in Puzhal jail with his bail application being rejected by the Saidapet court.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) which had taken cognizance of the case has so far found no evidence to support the allegations.
The NCW has been asking concerned persons to appear before them to take necessary action.
The NCW had asked Leela Samson to present herself before the commission on 11 April 2023.
However, Leela Samson through her lawyer Vrinda Grover had e-mailed the commission on 7 April 2023 that she was in Australia and that she is due for travel to India adding that for the next two weeks or so, Leela would not be able to present herself physically before the commission due to her engagements and restrictions in travel due to COVID vulnerability.
If one had to go by her claims in the email, Leela Samson was supposed to be quarantining in Delhi but she was found loitering around in Mumbai to participate in the cultural programmes at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre.
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