The Kalakshetra issue saw a kind of closure after former director Leela Samson posted a “regret” notice on her Facebook page. The accused teacher was also given bail after by court.

Let us rewind to two years back. It was December 2022, Leela Samson makes a Facebook post alleging sexual harassment by a male staff on minor students. 

She continues to add comments in the same post dragging another student’s name into the mess. Soon after she deletes the post.

This deleted post was also screenshotted and shared by self-styled feminist and X activist Chinmayi Sripaada. But it does not get the required traction.

In January 2023, Chinmayi shares this again but now on X.

There is a lull again. But around end March/early April 2023, the issue explodes after students start protesting. Now our “champions of justice” enter the arena – The News Minute starts reporting on how the institution has been harbouring ‘assailants’ and ‘silencing’ victims.

The start reporting exclusives about the issue, they made explainer videos, detailed articles, published op-eds and what not – hey, this was the rare #MeToo that has finally hit a cultural institution that defied uprooting of its Hindu roots.

They even published exclusive interviews (under the garb of anonymity) of “victims” – they went full throttle in their attempt to ‘help’ Kalakshetra take shape as another JNU.

The News Minute’s Coverage Of Kalakshetra Controversy

The News Minute’s coverage of the Kalakshetra sexual harassment allegations exhibits a pattern of selective reporting and amplification of unverified claims, contributing to a biased narrative. The outlet prominently featured Leela Samson’s December 2022 Facebook post accusing a faculty member, Hari Padman, of misconduct and gave significant weight to her statements,

Articles like “Kalakshetra row: Probe finds teacher Hari Padman guilty of misconduct” emphasized the inquiry committee’s findings against Padman without equally highlighting the lack of conclusive evidence or the ongoing legal proceedings, potentially prejudicing public perception. Additionally, The News Minute’s reports, such as “Casteism, colourism, body shaming: How Kalakshetra’s culture lets harassment thrive,” framed the institution’s culture broadly as toxic, relying heavily on anonymous sources and allegations without sufficient counterbalancing perspectives from the accused or the institution’s administration.

Let’s take one example – the “Let Me Explain” video by Anna Issac. In the video, Issac claimed that over 100 testimonies were gathered by an NGO named Care Spaces, which pointed to a systemic problem in the institution. However, when one just did as much as a Google search, one would question the neutrality of Care Spaces, noting that it is allegedly run by Janani Ramesh — a close associate of Kalakshetra dancer Indhu Nideesh, who, along with two other teachers (Nirmala and Nandini Nagarajan), was accused of orchestrating a smear campaign against Hari Padman due to internal professional rivalries.

From what was understood after speaking to the affected parties, alumni, then-current students, it became clear that many of TNM’s claims were biased and laden with vested interests. For example, TNM, in one of its reports wrote, “Kalakshetra’s geography isolates it from the city, and most students doing their fine arts courses live on campus.” suggesting that Kalakshetra was physically isolated and students were left vulnerable — in fact, the institution is located in Thiruvanmiyur, one of Chennai’s prime localities. Additionally, TNM reported that students were unable to speak at a January auditorium meeting because the alleged abuser was present. In reality, as exposed by an alumnus, this meeting was a routine POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) conference led by a neutral lawyer, BS Ajeetha. Witnesses said the disruptions came not from faculty protecting abusers, but from rival teachers misusing the space to shame colleagues.

@thenewsminute
let me explain why you're a fake news portal. pic.twitter.com/j3FZViKB78

— Believe in Karma (@karmayogi_06) April 9, 2023

Moreover, the internal committee — which even included left-leaning members — found no merit in the harassment allegations, as there were no formal complaints filed at the time.

The institution issued a gag order to prevent the spread of unverified rumors, but TNM misrepresented this legal safeguard as a draconian attempt to silence victims. With such twists and turns that TNM gave to the issue, it became clearer by the day and their reportage that the agenda was to vilify an institution rooted in the Indic guru-sishya tradition, a model long targeted by activist-artists like TM Krishna and Chinmayi.

The Other Side Of The Story

While TNM amplified only one side of the story, getting testimonials from former students who were repeat offenders – late for classes, leaving the premises when not allowed (during the course), for all the claims that they make about being “independent” media reporting every single piece of information about an issue, they did not bother to talk to other alumni or colleagues about the charges.

It was revealed that the allegations of sexual harassment against teacher Hari Padman were largely baseless or exaggerated, rooted instead in professional rivalry from fellow teachers Nirmala Nagarajan, Nandini Nagarajan, and Indhu Nideesh.

Around 15 female students were investigated by police from the Adyar All Women Police Station but most of the students did not make any accusations of sexual harassment against Hari Padman 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.

On March 19, 2023, the ICC cleared Hari Padman of any wrongdoing. The National Commission for Women also found no evidence to support the allegations.

A 12-year Kalakshetra veteran and other anonymous sources asserted that these teachers instigated protests and leaked information to media and activists, bypassing internal committees.

Complaints to the Ministry of Culture and NCW accused them of manipulating students and weaponizing routine discipline.

Check these screenshots also! #Kalakshetra pic.twitter.com/wIIXRI1zQi

— Rajavel Nagarajan (@iamradioguru) March 29, 2023

The News Minute which had gone on a tirade against Kalakshetra Foundation, Hari Padman and others went silent and did not even reported about some of these developments – be it the police failing to file chargesheet against Hari Padman, or students reporting no sexual harassment allegations against him, or Leela Samson wrongly accusing a girl of being a “mistress”.

Amid all this, The Commune continued amplifying the voices that was getting lost in the noise. And despite media narratives led by platforms like The News Minute and NGOs like CARESpaces, internal inquiries found no evidence of misconduct. While any genuine abuse must be investigated thoroughly, it is the duty of a news portal to report on all aspects of the case, rather than peddling a specific propaganda.

TNM’s Radio Silence On Leela Samson’s Regret

While TNM was reporting on how the “sexual harassment accused” Hari Padman was released on bail and other updates regarding the case, they have not even carried one report on Leela Samson’s regret for wrongly accusing and derogating a student as “mistress”. An FIR was registered against Leela Samson after the dance intern at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (“RDCFA”).

When the complainant asked for the reason, she was informed that Samson claimed “mistress” meant “ejamaani” (in Tamil ejamaani means a feudal landlady) in the context of the intern giving tuitions to Haripadman’s son. As Samson had already removed her post, the police found her explanation “satisfactory” and decided to close the case. The context, tone and tenor of Leela Samson’s post gives away that she had used the word “mistress” with a sexual connotation.

But TNM never reported this angle. In fact, they did not even bother to look into the aspect that Leela Samson wrongly dragged a student’s name into the matter by calling her a “mistress” and linking her with the man accused of sexual harassment.

All this only proves one thing – truth was never the priority, agenda and propaganda was. If allies slander and it does not fit in your narrative, just push it under the carpet, because the victim’s life is not worth fighting for, nor worth spending the time and energy.

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The post When Narrative Fails: How The News Minute’s Frenzied Coverage Of The Kalakshetra Issue Turned Into Radio Silence On Leela Samson’s Regret For Defaming A Female Student appeared first on The Commune.

Ultra-woke singer and virtue signaler Chinmayi Sripaada who was in the spotlight owing to the #MeToo allegations against Vairamuthu has to be reminded of something today.

Earlier in the day on 16 June 2025, The Commune had reported how former Kalakshetra director Leela Samson made a Facebook post expressing her “regret” for “wrongly mentioning” a former student’s name in connection with a male faculty. She wrote that she regretted the error and would not make comments about the student in the future.

Background

Samson’s admission comes after nearly two years of controversy stemming from her initial post, which alleged misconduct by a male teacher — Hari Padman — and inadvertently drew a student, into a scandal that disrupted her life and career. The student later alleged that the mention of her name, and its subsequent circulation in media reports and social media, had caused immense distress, mental agony, and damage to her reputation.

This ‘regret’ post came after the dispute was resolved recently through a mediated settlement following both civil and criminal complaints. The dragging of the student into the issue prompted the filing of a civil suit and related criminal charges. During the subsequent mediation process, as told to The Commune, Leela Samson expressed regret for her actions and agreed to do whatever was needed to make amends. This included putting up a public post on Facebook as a form of apology. In exchange for this, the complainant agreed to withdraw both the civil suit and the criminal case, effectively putting the matter to rest.

Before making the Facebook post, however, Leela took careful measures to control its visibility. She removed nearly all her friends from her account — reducing their number from approximately 2,000 down to just 5 — ensuring that the message would reach a limited and carefully curated viewership. Furthermore, as requested by the complainant, Leela made the post visible to the public while retaining this small number of friends. This tactic meant that the majority of her friends, and even many of her previous social media connections, remained oblivious to its content. In this way, the defendant was able to fulfill the terms of the agreement without broadly disclosing the details or drawing significant attention from her social circle.

As per the settlement, Leela Samson is to pay a total sum of ₹8 lakhs in two instalments — half upon withdrawal of the civil suit and the rest upon submission of a consent affidavit in the quash petition. The complainant also agreed to pursue quash proceedings before the Madras High Court.

Kalakshetra Issue

The controversy resulted in large-scale student protests, the temporary closing down of the institution, and the arrest of Hari Padman, who was later released on bail after the police failed to submit a chargesheet within the mandated time frame. A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Leela Samson and four other individuals under Section 509 of the IPC (intent to insult a woman’s modesty).

The FIR alleged that Samson made unfounded and derogatory comments, adding to the mental agony faced by the student, and further fueling rumors about her character. The complainant stressed in her filing that there was “not even a shred of truth” to the comments made by Samson and that their publication had a profoundly harmful effect on her personal and academic future.

What Did Leela Samson Post?

The complainant was a dance intern at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (“RDCFA”) and has been associated with the institution for the past 7 years. The FIR states that the complaint pertains to the post made by Ms. Leela Samson, former director of the Kalakshetra Foundation on her Facebook profile in December 2022. 

The post has been deleted but the complainant claims that it has brought ill repute to her name and upheaved her personal and academic life. She also accuses Samson of having written the post with a highly vindictive agenda. 

The post made by Samson alleged that a male staff member indulged in acts of sexual harassment inside the campus. The alleged male staff member mentioned therein is one Mr. Haripadman who happened to be one of the complainant’s mentors and he had trained her for years together. 

In the comments section of the now-deleted Facebook post made on 23 December 2022 by Leela Samson, the complainant says that various comments were made about the alleged misdemeanours committed by Mr. Haripadman and that what was particularly disconcerting was that her name was linked in an uncharitable manner with Mr. Haripadman in one of those comments on the Facebook post. 

The comments said, “His victims are many. (Name hidden) had an abortion and wanted him to marry her. And so on. He had a mistress who is an intern – (name hidden) known to bully the younger students. Everyone knows. Junior students apparently ask the question – what do have to do to get a role in the concert section!” 

The comment on the Facebook post mentions the complainant’s name (removed for anonymity), although misspelled makes an explicit reference to her and the FIR says that it has given rise to an immense upheaval of her personal and academic life. The contents of the comment, at first glance, besides being false and baseless, are patently derogatory, disparaging, and vituperative, which projects the complainant in an extremely disparaging manner, the FIR said. 

The context, tone and tenor of Leela Samson’s post gives away that she had used the word “mistress” with a sexual connotation.

The reference to the complainant as a “mistress”, the FIR said, was an attack against her dignity and an affront to her modesty and as such attracts the provision of Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 

The police subsequently closed the complaint against Samson. When the complainant asked for the reason, she was informed that Samson claimed “mistress” meant “ejamaani” (in Tamil ejamaani means a feudal landlady) in the context of the intern giving tuitions to Haripadman’s son. As Samson had already removed her post, the police found her explanation “satisfactory” and decided to close the case.

Where Does Chinmayi Come Into The Picture?

After Leela Samson made the Facebook post, instead of verifying the facts, Chinmayi amplified it (despite it being deleted) and supported Leela Samson’s narrative. She wrote, “Leela Samson’s post on a male staff member at Kalakshetra ‘known to be threatening and molesting minors’.

She also amplified it on X a month after Leela Samson made the Facebook post and deleted it. She wrote, “Please amplify. Leela Samson spoke about an alleged child sex offender in Kalakshetra. She described experiences of sexual assault and rape and then deleted the post and comments. Sex offenders going scot free in the Carnatic Music, Bharatnatyam space is not new.”

In a subsequent post, she shared the screenshot of Leela Samson’s deleted Facebook post. She wrote, “Here she directly alleges that a male member molests minors. I am not sure if an enquiry was conducted, suo motu cognisance taken. Is nobody worried?”

Chinmayi’s own words have been presented here. Perhaps this will help her reflect on the very real consequences that can unfold when allegations are amplified without proper verification. While standing against injustice is commendable, true advocacy requires more than just enthusiasm—it demands responsibility, fact-checking, and accountability, especially when innocent individuals get caught in the crossfire.

Why was she so quick to endorse unverified claims? Why has there been no acknowledgment of the harm caused to those wrongly implicated? And why does her activism seem to apply only one-way accountability? Will she call out Leela Samson for falsely naming the victim?

If the goal is genuine justice rather than performative outrage, then self-reflection is just as important as calling out others. The movement deserves better than selective indignation—it deserves integrity.

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The post How X Feminist & ‘Activist’ Chinmayi Sripaada Amplified Leela Samson’s False Claims In Kalakshetra Issue, Without Fact-Checking appeared first on The Commune.

Leela Samson, former Director of Kalakshetra Foundation, has issued a public expression of regret for wrongly naming a student in a Facebook post made in December 2022, which triggered a major controversy at the institution.

In a brief statement on her Facebook page, Samson wrote: “On December 23, 2022, I put a post on Athena, former student and presently Tutor at the Kalakshetra Foundation, on Facebook. I had wrongly mentioned her name in connection with a male faculty. I regret the error and no further comments will be made by me on her in the future.”

Samson’s admission comes after nearly two years of controversy stemming from her initial post, which alleged misconduct by a male teacher — Hari Padman — and inadvertently drew a student, into a scandal that disrupted her life and career. The student later alleged that the mention of her name, and its subsequent circulation in media reports and social media, had caused immense distress, mental agony, and damage to her reputation.

This ‘regret’ post came after the dispute was resolved recently through a mediated settlement following both civil and criminal complaints. The dragging of the student into the issue prompted the filing of a civil suit and related criminal charges. During the subsequent mediation process, as told to The Commune, Leela Samson expressed regret for her actions and agreed to do whatever was needed to make amends. This included putting up a public post on Facebook as a form of apology. In exchange for this, the complainant agreed to withdraw both the civil suit and the criminal case, effectively putting the matter to rest.

Before making the Facebook post, however, Leela took careful measures to control its visibility. She removed nearly all her friends from her account — reducing their number from approximately 2,000 down to just 5 — ensuring that the message would reach a limited and carefully curated viewership. Furthermore, as requested by the complainant, Leela made the post visible to the public while retaining this small number of friends. This tactic meant that the majority of her friends, and even many of her previous social media connections, remained oblivious to its content. In this way, the defendant was able to fulfill the terms of the agreement without broadly disclosing the details or drawing significant attention from her social circle.

As per the settlement, Leela Samson is to pay a total sum of ₹8 lakhs in two instalments — half upon withdrawal of the civil suit and the rest upon submission of a consent affidavit in the quash petition. The complainant also agreed to pursue quash proceedings before the Madras High Court.

Kalakshetra Issue

The controversy resulted in large-scale student protests, the temporary closing down of the institution, and the arrest of Hari Padman, who was later released on bail after the police failed to submit a chargesheet within the mandated time frame. A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against Leela Samson and four other individuals under Section 509 of the IPC (intent to insult a woman’s modesty).

The FIR alleged that Samson made unfounded and derogatory comments, adding to the mental agony faced by the student, and further fueling rumors about her character. The complainant stressed in her filing that there was “not even a shred of truth” to the comments made by Samson and that their publication had a profoundly harmful effect on her personal and academic future.

What Did Leela Samson Post?

The complainant was a dance intern at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (“RDCFA”) and has been associated with the institution for the past 7 years. The FIR states that the complaint pertains to the post made by Ms. Leela Samson, former director of the Kalakshetra Foundation on her Facebook profile in December 2022. 

The post has been deleted but the complainant claims that it has brought ill repute to her name and upheaved her personal and academic life. She also accuses Samson of having written the post with a highly vindictive agenda. 

The post made by Samson alleged that a male staff member indulged in acts of sexual harassment inside the campus. The alleged male staff member mentioned therein is one Mr. Haripadman who happened to be one of the complainant’s mentors and he had trained her for years together. 

In the comments section of the now-deleted Facebook post made on 23 December 2022 by Leela Samson, the complainant says that various comments were made about the alleged misdemeanours committed by Mr. Haripadman and that what was particularly disconcerting was that her name was linked in an uncharitable manner with Mr. Haripadman in one of those comments on the Facebook post. 

The comments said, “His victims are many. (Name hidden) had an abortion and wanted him to marry her. And so on. He had a mistress who is an intern – (name hidden) known to bully the younger students. Everyone knows. Junior students apparently ask the question – what do have to do to get a role in the concert section!” 

The comment on the Facebook post mentions the complainant’s name (removed for anonymity), although misspelled makes an explicit reference to her and the FIR says that it has given rise to an immense upheaval of her personal and academic life. The contents of the comment, at first glance, besides being false and baseless, are patently derogatory, disparaging, and vituperative, which projects the complainant in an extremely disparaging manner, the FIR said. 

The context, tone and tenor of Leela Samson’s post gives away that she had used the word “mistress” with a sexual connotation.

The reference to the complainant as a “mistress”, the FIR said, was an attack against her dignity and an affront to her modesty and as such attracts the provision of Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 

The police subsequently closed the complaint against Samson. When the complainant asked for the reason, she was informed that Samson claimed “mistress” meant “ejamaani” (in Tamil ejamaani means a feudal landlady) in the context of the intern giving tuitions to Haripadman’s son. As Samson had already removed her post, the police found her explanation “satisfactory” and decided to close the case.

So the Adyar AWPS Inspector investigating the #Kalakshetra case is also probing the complaint against #LeelaSamson & teachers by a student @karmayogi_06 . Complaint was closed. When @karmayogi_06 asked why, she was told… Wait for it… Mistress means Ejamani!!! (1/n) pic.twitter.com/hTBnfAXLXb

— Sandhya Ravishankar (@sandhyaravishan) May 31, 2023

The FIR that was shared with The Commune also said that the tone of the now-deleted Facebook post and the comments section indicate that they have been made only to pursue an ulterior motive of vengeance against the Foundation and the current management members, through any means necessary, even if such means were to include the outright defamation of a young student such as the complainant. 

The FIR further stated, accordingly, Ms. Samson dragged the complainant’s name into this entire episode to reinforce her self-perceived narrative of deeply rooted corruption and rot in the institution. The FIR said that Samson dragged the complainant’s name without doing any prior fact-checking. The FIR also said, “Before mentioning my name in the Facebook post, it would have been prudent and proper for Ms. Leela Samson to have checked with me about the veracity or genuineness of the rumours she was supposedly hearing about me. The same was not done. There was not even a shred of truth to the allegations mentioned in the comment.”

The complainant also stated that Hari Padman had been her mentor ever since the first post-diploma year and had been on good terms with his entire family including his wife, and children and that was the reason why she visited his residence. She underscored that there was nothing more to this other than that of a mentor and student relationship.  

The Kalashetra Foundation’s Internal Complaints Committee conducted an inquiry and found no truth in the allegations made in the Facebook post about the alleged relationship.

Various media houses published articles about the inquiry, which further affected the individual’s reputation. The complainant also listed the websites where her name has been mentioned with regard to the inquiry conducted by the Internal Complaints Committee of the foundation and some of these publications can be accessed in the below links. 

(a) Kalashetra Chennai has a PoSH problem. Students fume, gag order imposed, art world shaken – The Print 

(b) Sexual harassment allegations at Chennai’s famous Kalakshetra, college issues gag order – The News Minute

The complainant expressed strong dismay at Ms. Leela Samson’s attempt to damage their hard-earned reputation among peers. The individual blamed Ms. Leela Samson’s initial Facebook post for triggering the events that caused them distress and stress. She also accused specific members of the teaching staff and fellow students of actively causing discomfort in their personal and academic life.

Samson’s expression of regret is a significant and somewhat dramatic twist in the controversy. It signals a moment of reconciliation and reflection for both the institution and the individuals involved in the incident.

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The post Former Kalakshetra Director Leela Samson Expresses ‘Regret’ For Wrongly Linking A Female Student With A Male Faculty appeared first on The Commune.

On 3 June 2024, the Madras High Court granted conditional bail to Sheejith Krishna, a 51-year-old former professor at Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation, who was accused of sexual assault by two former students. Krishna was arrested by the Neelankarai All Women Police on 22 April 2024, following complaints from the students, who studied at the institution between 1995 and 2007, alleging multiple instances of sexual harassment.

The case against Krishna emerged after one of the women approached the Madras High Court in December 2023. The court subsequently directed the police to investigate her complaint. This directive led to a preliminary inquiry by the Neelankarai All Women’s Police Station and the subsequent registration of a case against Krishna in February.

During the bail hearing, Senior Counsel R John Sathyan, representing Krishna, argued that the alleged offenses occurred over two decades (28 years) ago and questioned the credibility of the accusations given the significant time lapse. Sathyan emphasized the lack of substantial evidence, that since the time of arrest, Krishna had not been investigated by the police nor had any other “victim” come forward to provide evidence. It was also noted that the complainant now resides abroad.

Opposing the bail petition, the counsel for the complainant contended that granting bail to Krishna would deter other victims from coming forward. The police also argued that another victim had filed a complaint against Krishna and that a few more were likely to file complaints and hence bail must be denied to him. On 22 May 2024, when the case came up for hearing, it was reported that the Madras High Court questioned the purpose of keeping Bharatanatyam dancer and former Kalakshetra faculty member Sheejith Krishna in custody in relation to the case. Justice C Saravanan of the vacation bench reviewed Krishna’s bail plea. The government advocate argued that the ongoing investigation necessitated Krishna’s detention, as police are in the process of recording witness statements under Section 164 of the CrPC. The judge suggested that Krishna could report daily to the police station instead. The government advocate, noting that additional witness statements still need to be collected, requested more time for further instructions.

On 3 June 2024, the court decided to grant conditional bail to Krishna. If Krishna has to travel abroad, he is required to get permission from the court before the travel.

This decision allows Krishna to be released while awaiting further legal proceedings.

The Kalakshetra Foundation, a premier performing arts institution, had already been in the spotlight due to protests by students alleging sexual harassment by four teachers. Hari Padman, an assistant professor at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts on the Kalakshetra campus, was the first to face accusations from several students. Padman was arrested by Chennai police in April last year and was granted bail in June 2023 by default due to failure of police to file chargesheet. The National Commission for Women (NCW) which had taken cognizance of the case found no evidence to support the allegations.

The institution set up an independent enquiry committee led by retired Justice K Kannan, along with former Tamil Nadu police chief Letika Saran and medical professional Shobha Varthaman which suspended Hari Padman and dismissed three other instructors, Sanjith Lal, Sreenath, and Sai Krishnan. This committee recommended providing legal assistance to students who wished to file police complaints against Sanjith Lal, Sai Krishnan, and Sreenath.

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The post Former Kalakshetra Prof Sheejith Krishna Granted Bail In Sexual Assault Case appeared first on The Commune.

The Kalakshetra issue has subsided but most media channels did not cover a very important part of the whole issue. The complaint against former Director, Leela Samson. 

In an FIR copy that has surfaced that names Samson and 4 others, dated 20 July 2023, the complainant has accused Leela Samson of the derogatory and disparaging post made against her with the intent to insult her modesty. 

The complainant was a dance intern at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (“RDCFA”) and has been associated with the institution for the past 7 years. The FIR states that the complaint pertains to the post made by Ms. Leela Samson, former director of the Kalakshetra Foundation on her Facebook profile in December 2022. 

The post has been deleted but the complainant claims that it has brought ill repute to her name and upheaved her personal and academic life. She also accuses Samson of having written the post with a highly vindictive agenda. 

The post made by Samson alleged that a male staff member indulged in acts of sexual harassment inside the campus. The alleged male staff member mentioned therein is one Mr. Haripadman who happened to be one of the complainant’s mentors and he had trained her for years together. 

In the comments section of the now-deleted Facebook post made on 23 December 2022 by Leela Samson, the complainant says that various comments were made about the alleged misdemeanours committed by Mr. Haripadman and that what was particularly disconcerting was that her name was linked in an uncharitable manner with Mr. Haripadman in one of those comments on the Facebook post. 

The comments said, “His victims are many. (Name hidden) had an abortion and wanted him to marry her. And so on. He had a mistress who is an intern – (name hidden) known to bully the younger students. Everyone knows. Junior students apparently ask the question – what do have to do to get a role in the concert section!” 

The comment on the Facebook post mentions the complainant’s name (removed for anonymity), although misspelled makes an explicit reference to her and the FIR says that it has given rise to an immense upheaval of her personal and academic life. The contents of the comment, at first glance, besides being false and baseless, are patently derogatory, disparaging, and vituperative, which projects the complainant in an extremely disparaging manner, the FIR said. 

The context, tone and tenor of Leela Samson’s post gives away that she had used the word “mistress” with a sexual connotation.

The reference to the complainant as a “mistress”, the FIR said, was an attack against her dignity and an affront to her modesty and as such attracts the provision of Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. 

Section 509 says, “Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any words makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, (shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and also with fine).” 

The complainant who felt wronged filed a complaint against Leela Samson during the Kalakshetra issue for unjustly damaging her reputation and publicly violating her dignity. The Adyar All Women Police Station, responsible for investigating the allegations against Kalakshetra Foundation and Haripadman, was also looking into the complaint against Leela Samson.

The police subsequently closed the complaint against Samson. When the complainant asked for the reason, she was informed that Samson claimed “mistress” meant “ejamaani” (in Tamil ejamaani means a feudal landlady) in the context of the intern giving tuitions to Haripadman’s son. As Samson had already removed her post, the police found her explanation “satisfactory” and decided to close the case.

So the Adyar AWPS Inspector investigating the #Kalakshetra case is also probing the complaint against #LeelaSamson & teachers by a student @karmayogi_06 . Complaint was closed. When @karmayogi_06 asked why, she was told… Wait for it… Mistress means Ejamani!!! (1/n) pic.twitter.com/hTBnfAXLXb

— Sandhya Ravishankar (@sandhyaravishan) May 31, 2023

The FIR that has been shared with The Commune also said that the tone of the now-deleted Facebook post and the comments section indicate that they have been made only to pursue an ulterior motive of vengeance against the Foundation and the current management members, through any means necessary, even if such means were to include the outright defamation of a young student such as the complainant. 

The FIR further says, accordingly, Ms. Samson has dragged the complainant’s name into this entire episode to reinforce her self-perceived narrative of deeply rooted corruption and rot in the institution. The FIR said that Samson dragged the complainant’s name without doing any prior fact-checking. The FIR also says, “Before mentioning my name in the Facebook post, it would have been prudent and proper for Ms. Leela Samson to have checked with me about the veracity or genuineness of the rumours she was supposedly hearing about me. The same was not done. There was not even a shred of truth to the allegations mentioned in the comment.”

The complainant also stated that Mr. Hari Padman had been her mentor ever since the first post-diploma year and had been on good terms with his entire family including his wife, and children and that was the reason why she visited his residence. She underscores that there was nothing more to this other than that of a mentor and student relationship.  

The Kalashetra Foundation’s Internal Complaints Committee conducted an inquiry and found no truth in the allegations made in the Facebook post about the alleged relationship.

Various media houses published articles about the inquiry, which further affected the individual’s reputation. The complainant also listed the websites where her name has been mentioned with regard to the inquiry conducted by the Internal Complaints Committee of the foundation and some of these publications can be accessed in the below links. 

(a) Kalashetra Chennai has a PoSH problem. Students fume, gag order imposed, art world shaken – The Print 

(b) Sexual harassment allegations at Chennai’s famous Kalakshetra, college issues gag order – The News Minute

The complainant accused specific individuals, including Nandini Nagaraj, Rekha Memon, Shanthi R Rajkamal, Nirmala Nagaraj, and Pavithra Lingendra, of contributing to their mental agony by spreading rumors and treating them poorly.

The complainant expressed strong dismay at Ms. Leela Samson’s attempt to damage their hard-earned reputation among peers. The individual blames Ms. Leela Samson’s initial Facebook post for triggering the events that caused them distress and stress. She also accused specific members of the teaching staff and fellow students of actively causing discomfort in their personal and academic life. 

• Nandini Nagaraj: A member of the teaching staff who treated the complainant with visible disgust and disapproval based on baseless rumours, which adds to their mental agony.
• Rekha Menon: Another member of the teaching staff who spread gossip about the individual and Mr. Hari Padman
• Shanthi R Rajkamal: A dance tutor who made an inappropriate reference to defamatory rumours about the complainant during a public event, which further escalated her distress.
• Nirmala Nagaraj: Delivered a manipulative and condescending speech, making direct references to the rumours about the complainant and Mr. Hari Padman. This intensified the mental torture they were experiencing as all fellow students started focusing on them and the rumors. 
• Pavithra Lingendra – A fellow student who was involved in spreading rumours and targeting their friends. 

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 forcing the institution to close down temporarily. Dance teacher Haripadman, who became the main target of the protest was arrested and sent to Puzhal jail with his bail application being rejected by the Saidapet court.

He was subsequently granted bail by the Saidapet court on 6 June 2023 after the police failed to file chargesheet against him within the stipulated time.

It was only on 27 July 2023 that the police filed a chargesheet in the case.

While a few media outlets had reported about the chargesheet being filed against Hari Padman, none has yet reported about the FIR filed against Leela Samson and others individuals.

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The post Kalakshetra Issue: FIR Names Leela Samson & 4 Others For Derogating A Girl Student As “Mistress” appeared first on The Commune.

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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A group of alumnae of Kalakshetra Foundation, have come out in support of dancer and teacher Hari Padman, claiming that his conduct was good while they studied under him and that the case against him was fabricated.

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.

Former Students Come Out In Support Of Hari Padman 

Kalakshetra alumna Reshma Nair stated, “I very well know Guru Shri Hari Padman from 2005. He and his family are like my extended family. He is the only teacher who supported his student even after leaving Kalakshetra. I strongly believe that he is falsely accused. My humble request to the higher authorities, kindly give him a chance to prove his innocence.”

Another alumna and prominent Bharathanatyam dancer Gayathri Krishnaveni said, “I know Hari Padman since the day he joined Kalakshetra as a very young student and an aspiring boy. Through years of hard work and struggle, for almost 20 years, he has come to what he is today. Hari Padman is a very hard-working person and he is very sincere in his work. I can even call him Danceaholic. He has dedicated his entire life to Kalakshetra. All he knows is Kalakshetra, Bharathanatyam, Kathakali, and dance dramas. So, let us wait until he speaks. And I hope he is given proper inquiry trial and justice. I think the entire episode is just some conspiracy and he is been falsely blamed. He is been accused for doing nothing. Please be sensitive when you say any accusations against him or anyone in this matter. I know Hari Padman and I believe in Hari Padman. We are talking about a person, his carrier, his family, his wife, and his children.”

Dhanya, a Kalakshetra alumna from Dubai, said, “I have learned under him for more than 4 years. He is the guru who is most genuine and hardworking. He is 100% true to his art. This is a false allegation. I request the authorities to kindly give him a fair chance to prove his innocence. Please authorities, give him a fair chance.”

Alumna Aishwarya Pillai said, “I am studying under him for several years. Maybe from 2006. I have never had a bad experience with him. I had learned so many things from sir. He was a very dedicated person. He never had a vacation. I have never seen him having a vacation because he always wanted to work for Kalakshetra. My humble request to the authorities, is to give him a chance to prove his innocence.”

Iris, a foreign student who studied under him, said, “Hari Padman is a very dedicated, very hard working and disciplined person. These are the reasons why I cannot believe the latest allegations against him. This is unbelievable. I also hope that justice will be delivered soon because he is still behind bars. His family, his carrier, and his whole life are shattered by this. Justice should be given and I am waiting for it. I stand with sir with a full heart.”

The Case

It all began when Leela Samson, the former director of Kalakshetra Foundation made an accusatory post against a teacher (who she did not name) on her Facebook account. The post was later deleted.

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 forcing the institution to close down temporarily.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) which had taken cognizance of the case has so far found no evidence to support the allegations.

NCW had asked Leela Samson to present herself before the commission on 11 April 2023 but there are no reports of her having made her submissions before the commission.

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. Haripadman is now in Puzhal jail with his bail application being rejected by the Saidapet court.

Despite the fact that none of the accused in the case are Brahmins, the left ecosystem and the Dravidian Stockists have used this issue to unleash hatred on Brahmins by spreading a lie via their social media handles that all accused in the case are Brahmins.

Later, a report by Dinamalar citing police sources noted Haripadman saying that teaching Bharatanatyam cannot be taught like physics or chemistry and that it becomes inevitable to make physical contact while teaching the art. He further added “Among professors in Kalakshetra, there is not only competition with respect to work but also for power. Some are ready to do anything to become the Director. I am of the opinion that this power play has resulted in these complaints. Many students have been manipulated into giving this complaint. There are many forces who are conspiring to shut down this college. In general, I consider that there is a large-scale attempt to smear Kalakshetra. I have been used as a tool in this attempt.”

He added that the truth will be revealed if there is a fair investigation. In this situation, a group of Kalakshetra Foundation alumni who studied under dancer Hari Padman have come out in support of him.

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Leela Samson, the former director of Kalakshetra Foundation whose Facebook post was instrumental in starting the sexual harassment controversy surrounding the institution, has failed to appear before the National Commission for Women for enquiry.

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 also written in her Facebook “A public institution, a haven of the highest art and contemplation — now turning a blind eye to how young girls are treated. They are vulnerable. A male member of the staff is known to be threatening and molesting them, who are not yet adults.”.

In another Facebook post she accused the entire staff of knowing about the “malaise in Kalakshetra” but turning a blind eye.

“These teachers simply do not have a conscience. As long as what is happening is happening, to someone else’s daughter and not their own.”, she had written.

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.

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. Haripadman 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.

In light of this, 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.

“She will be in Kochi, and then arrive in New Delhi, where she will be in quarantine for one week as per Covid protocols since she is a senior citizen with heightened vulnerability to Covid.”, wrote Vrinda Grover representing Leela Samson adding that for the next two weeks or so, Leela would not be able to present herself physically before the commission.

Citing these circumstances, Leela Samson requested time to present herself before the commission on any date after 25 April 2023.

The NCW accepted to the postponement of hearing adding that the they will inform the next date shortly.

However, it is worth mentioning that Leela has been in India for a while now. Her claims of being in Australia at the time of sending the email is being disputed. There are no dates given in the email about when she will be coming to India.

Leela’s e-mail itself has left people baffled as she had mentioned that she will be coming to Kochi first and then to Delhi where she will be quarantined for a week. However, if she is coming into India through Kochi, she will have to quarantine herself in Kochi and not Delhi.

Even if one has to go by her claims, Leela Samson was not found quarantining in Delhi but was found loitering around in Mumbai.

Leela Samson was in Mumbai to participate in the cultural programmes at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. (NMACC)

On 19 April 2023, a picture of her posing with a group of dancers at the NMACC popped on social media.

On 20 April 2023, NMACC had shared a video on their social media in which Leela says “I’m so very happy that we’re performing here tonight…We had enjoyed both days. This is our second day.” indicating that she has been in Mumbai since 19 April 2023.

She was found loitering around with her dance company in the streets of Mumbai.

It is to be noted that, Leela Samson in her email to the NCW through her lawyer had made no mention of her travel plans to Mumbai.

A few sources inside Kalakshetra have questioned why she has not yet made herself available to the NCW despite being present in India, especially since she had levelled serious charges against Kalakshetra.

“Why has she not taken it seriously and attended the summon to explain whatever she knows”, an alumni of Kalakshetra questioned.

One of the girls whom she had named in her Facebook post says that her career and reputation has been destroyed, and is in near depression due to the false allegations against her, while Leela is going around with her performances.

About Leela Samson

Leela Samson was the director of Kalakshetra Foundation till April 2012. She was forced to resign after a former Kalakshetra teacher CS Thomas filed a writ petition against her in 2011 for holding on to the post, despite turning 60, the age limite for government personnel.

A CAG report from her tenure at Kalakshetra accused the organization of financial irregularities. Irregularities in appointment were reported by Principal Accountant-General (PAG), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. According to the report, “16 appointments made during Leela Samson’s tenure were not as per the rules/norms prescribed for the same and hence irregular”.

In 2019, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a corruption case against Leela Samson and 3 other Kalakshetra officials for financial irregularities.

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In the past few weeks, Kalakshetra Foundation has been at the centre of a controversy after a social media campaign resulted in students protesting against the institution’s management over allegations of sexual harassment

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.

The Kalakshetra Foundation’s board of directors has 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.

Despite the action taken, leftist and Dravidian Stockist media outlet The News Minute has been going on a tirade against Kalakshetra Foundation accusing the institution of trying to silence voices and shielding the accused. The outlet has been peddling one particular side of the story while knowingly/unknowingly not bringing out the other side of the story.

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.

In the interview to ‘Galatta’ YouTube channel, another Dravidian Sotkcist media outlet, AS Kumari says that 10-12 girls and 2-3 boys had met her and shared the complaints. Apparently, all kinds of harassment – emotional, physical, sexual, mental -have been happening in the campus since 2008 she says.

However, a Bharatnatyam dancer named Iris Salman (Twitter handle – @iris_debieve) says why such a high profile case report has not been worded yet and put in public domain.

It is to be noted that Haripadman is under judicial custody with the Saidapet magistrate court dismissing the bail application.

“Why Madam did not approach ‘accused’ and tell them about charges, Is it not their constitutional right?”, Iris Salman questioned the state women’s commission head.

A video released by YouTuber Maridhas has an audio clip in which two girl students (a Marathi and a Malayali) discuss with Hari Padman. This audio clip reveals that some of the allegations against him hold no water.

Pointing out this video and a News 18 article, Iris Salman states that there is clear evidence that two points in FIR are false. “Why madam has concluded so fast?”, Iris asked questioning the AS Kumari’s intent.

When the interviewer asks AS Kumari whether she saw any proof of Hari Padman ‘torturing’ his students through WhatsApp, she claims that 2 students showed their WhatsApp in which she allegedly saw Hari Padman having deleted messages from his end. She also says that the students had replied to a few messages of his messages as ‘ok sir’, ‘no sir’, ‘sir’.

“Two alumni complained of inappropriate WhatsApp voice messages which they say Haripadman sir had deleted. ‘Delete for everyone’ can be done within 24hrs of sending only. Even based on deleted messages how did you CONCLUDE he is guilty when u say responses were only ok, yes, no?”, the Kalakshetra Alumnus asked the state women’s commission head.

Advocate Ajeetha who was quit as the external member of the Internal Committee (IC) at the Kalakshetra Foundation said in an interview to another Dravdian propagandist channel Nakkheeran that 3-4 cases were handled, disposed, action was taken against culprits who left campus.

Citing this statement of Ajeetha, Iris Salman questioned AS Kumari saying “So how are you confident Kalakshetra did not take action from ICC or that students lived in fear? Did you speak to Ajeetha ma’am?”

In the Galatta interview, AS Kumari also says that there are other ‘serious’ cases but she cannot talk about them due to confidentiality rules.

“Then how come you can talk about these cases alone? What is the criteria?”, Iris Salman asked AS Kumari.

“In the case of the boys, complaints came only in late March and Prevention of Sexual Harassment Committee is gender specific. Complainants were advised to go to police .The case of complainant who lodged FIR does not fall under POSH, and complainant was advised to go to police. Why Madam does not mention this?”

In the interview, AS Kumari also expresses admiration for teachers Nirmala, Nandhini, Indu. However, 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. A majority of the students who are aware of the drama have refused to come out and have chosen to remain silent fearing reprisal from the other side.

One of the student accused Nirmala of humiliating a student and a teacher during POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) conference led by lawyer BS Ajeetha in January.

Nirmala Nagarajan, Nandini Nagarajan, Indu Nideesh, and Rekha Menon have been accused by a few students of spreading rumours and gossips about people they don’t like.

Exclusive Breaking: Complaint filed with @NCWIndia , Kalakshetra Board and @MinOfCultureGoI by a dancer in #Kalakshetra pic.twitter.com/o4edhe0U4Q

— Rajavel Nagarajan (@iamradioguru) March 29, 2023

Nirmala and Indu have allegedly been circulating rumours against Haripadman with a promise of removing probation concept if they protest against him.

Some of the students have written to the Ministry of Culture under which Kalakshetra comes, to order an investigation into the activities of Nirmala teacher, Nandini teacher and Indhu teacher.

Students of #Kalakshetra fight back against false allegations on their teacher Haripadman and other students by woke freaks. Some teachers who hate the rise of Bahujan Haripadman want to finish him off. Don't fall for woke narratives. @NCWIndia @sharmarekha @kishanreddybjp pic.twitter.com/A1ZBh3Tow6

— Cynthia Khan (@TheCynthiaKhan) March 30, 2023

Now Iris Salman has questioned AS Kumari hailing Nirmala et al sayiang “.. you speak in glowing support of teachers Nirmala, Nandhini, Indu. If these teachers are so concerned to support students and harassment is ongoing from 2008, why did they not speak up before? Why did Nirmala give major role to Haripadman in her production in March 2022?”

A Russian alumna of the college had earlier sent a complaint to the state women’s commission alleging harassment by a teacher. The faculty in question allegedly harassed her and even told her that her effort and expenditure on learning dance would go in vain if she did not ‘adjust’.

Iris Salman has questioned why AS Kumari has not mentioned about this incident where the alleged molester is still inside the campus.

“Why madam did not mention this? Why the three teachers are not concerned about him (Hari Padman) when accusation is much more serious than current FIR? Why students are not concerned?”, Iris Salman raised.

“Madam says students cannot be manipulated. In 2012, entire student body was arm twisted through speeches/tears to sign a document to oust Leela Samson by same female teachers; how madam knows if all students are willing protest participants? Why have u concluded guilt so quickly?”, she questioned.

Ma’am A.S.Kumari
of @NaduFor :As Alumnus I am concerned u got 100+ complaints of sexual harassment,casteism etc;said Kalakshetra culture is 'Toxic'.Y is the high profile case report not worded 4 confidentiality & put in public domain? PoSH act allows this https://t.co/LnKvIb1o2h

— Iris Salman (@iris_debieve) April 13, 2023

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An anonymous Twitter user (named Believeinkarma – @karmayogi_06) claiming to be a Kalakshetra alumni who apparently spent seven years at the institution has stated that The News Minute’s statements in their video titled “Kalakshetra sexual harassments case – Let me explain by Anna Issac” are full of lies and malicious propaganda. The handle called The News Minute as fake news portal.

The News Minute published a video describing the Kalakshetra case on April 8th. In what appears to be a smear campaign against the institute, TNM levelled numerous unsubstantiated charges against Kalakshetra to make it appear like the entire administration of Kalakshetra is filled with sexual abusers and their saviors, and that students have no one to complain to about the harrassment.

A former student who did not want to reveal his/her identity exposed the TNM’s malicious lies in their video against Kalakshetra.

In the video, TNM said, “Care Spaces, an NGO that works to ensure safe working conditions and provides support to survivors, created a listening space for students, faculty, alumni, and others to speak about the allegations. Care Spaces said that they received over a 100 narrative that reveal frustrations and fear towards institutions decision makers due to their open support of the alleged abusers.”

Responding to TNM’s allegation, the handle Believeinkarma stated that the CareSpace, which TNM quotes in the video, has a vested interest because it is run by Janani Ramesh, best friend of Indu Nidheesh, another dancer in Kalakshetra who are alleged to be behind instigating the students in order to move up the power ladder within Kalakshetra.

It is worth mentioning that the ‘power play’ angle on the Kalakshetra protest was provided by dancer Hari Padman and his wife during a police interrogation. Hari Padman said during police investigation “Among professors in Kalakshetra, there is not only competition with respect to work but also for power. Some are ready to do anything to become the Director. I am of the opinion that this power play has resulted in these complaints. Many students have been manipulated into giving this complaint.”

This accusation of the handle Beliveinkarma on TNM simply lends seems to lend credence to the dancer Hari Padman’s statement.

TNM claimed in their video claimed that an autorium meeting was held in January 2023, during which Kalakshetra director Revathi Ramachandran asked students to speak out about sexual harassment charges against professors. TNM went on to say that students were unable to speak up as the alleged abuser, Hari Padman, was also present at the meeting.

However, Believeinkarma handle said that there was no auditorium meeting in January to discuss the sexual harassment issue, as alleged by TNM, but rather an annual POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) conference led by lawyer BS Ajeetha. “It was Nirmala and others who humiliated a student and a teacher with their disgusting queries,” the handle continued. (From the tweet it is inferred that the gang opposite to Hari Padman was the one who humiliated the students during the January conference.)

Insiders say that the core issue is of three teachers namely – Nirmala Nagarajan, Nandini Nagarajan and Indhu Nideesh – who harbour professional rivalry against Haripadman. A majority of the students who are aware of the drama have refused to come out and have chosen to remain silent fearing reprisal from the other side.

As the internal committee, which included even the leftist lawyer Ajeetha, found no evidence of sexual harassment, the internal committee concluded that the allegation was without merit. It is important to mention that there was no formal complaint before the internal committee, and the committee was enquiring based on rumours in the campus.

As the committee found no merit in the charges, the Kalakshetra foundation imposed a gag order, warning those who spread rumors in campus with legal consequences. When the gag order was intended to discourage rumors, TNM portrayed it as an attempt to silence the victims. Questioning this propaganda of TNM , the Beliveinkarma handle asked, “What’s wrong with the Director asking people to stop gossiping? Nirmala Nagarajan, Nandini Nagaraj, Indu Nideesh, and Rekha Menon are the main gossips in Kalakshetra.”

TNM also said that the PoSH had refused to take complaints of male students as the PoSH is gender specific. They added that this drawback is a lacuna in PoSH law, and that the institution should have taken up the complaint of male students under a general grievances redressal mechanism.

“This raises two logical questions: who ought to amend the PoSH law if there is a lacuna, the government or Kalakshetra, and why is TNM portraying a flaw in the law as Kalakshetra’s fault?”, asked a lawyer closely following the case.

TNM also accused Kalakshetra of trying to silence voices and shielding the accused as the director of the institute Revathi Ramachandran was also heading the internal committee. Why is this wrong, asked the Twitter handle Believeinkarma, given that the law does not prohibit a director from heading on an internal committee under the PoSH law. The handle asked, “Why should the director not head the IC? There are no complaints of sexual harrasment against the director. So what is the problem?”

The handle also questioned the TNM’s claim that there is no safe space on campus for students, saying, “No safe space for students? They spend all of their time protesting and isolating Haripadman’s supporters. They’re free to roam while Haripadman’s wife awaits her husband’s return.”

The handle also added that those three dancers were summarily been dismissed were not entitled to a hearing or enquiry. “Is this what you call justice?” Beliveinkarma questioned.

Beliveinkarma concluded by saying, “you(TNM) are a FAKE NEWS portal & despite your venom, truth will triumph.”

@thenewsminute
let me explain why you're a fake news portal. pic.twitter.com/j3FZViKB78

— Believe in Karma (@karmayogi_06) April 9, 2023

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