The decision to reinstate Prof. Bibekananda Mukherjee, who faces criminal charges of rape, as the Head of the Department of Visual Arts at Kalyani University has sparked widespread outrage and concern among students, faculty, and the broader community. The reinstatement comes after a five-month suspension and occurs amid ongoing criminal proceedings in a fast-track court. The Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) of Kalyani University, which was reconstituted by a directive of Calcutta High Court, had earlier recommended that Mukherjee be punished as per the law.

The case relates to allegations made by a female research scholar working under Mukherjee’s guidance in the Department of Visual Arts. Despite these serious allegations, Mukherjee was reinstated as department head on 5 July 2024, for a term of two years. He was also nominated as a member of the university’s executive council, its highest decision-making body, by the interim Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Amalendu Bhunia. Prof. Bhunia, appointed unilaterally by West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose without the executive council’s consent, has come under fire for his role in reinstating Prof Mukherjee. Critics argue that Prof Bhunia’s decision not only undermines the ongoing legal proceedings but also sends a dangerous message regarding the safety and protection of women at the university.

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The controversy first erupted in 2022, during the Covid19 lockdown, when allegations of rape surfaced against Prof Mukherjee. At that time, the then ViceChancellor, Prof. Manas Kumar Sanyal, removed Prof Mukherjee from his position as Head of Visual Arts and De puty Registrar to ensure a fair and unbiased investigation.

This move was supported by testimonies from other research scholars who had expressed concerns about Prof Mukherjee’s conduct, citing instances of unethical behaviour and favoritism in academic guidance. Adding to the controversy, a viral voice message from the period implicates Prof. Bhunia in allegedly supporting Prof Mukherjee, who was serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Commerce at that time. The message suggests that Prof Bhunia may have tried to protect Prof Mukherjee from the consequences of his actions.

The recent decision to reinstate Prof Mukherjee has led the victimised research scholar to file formal protests with the Governor of West Bengal, the state’s Minister of Higher Education, the National Commission for Women, and the National Scheduled Castes Commission. In her letter, she criticized Prof Bhunia’s actions as appeasement and indulgence, stating that they compromise the safety and integrity of women at the university. In response to the growing outrage, Kalyani University has formed a new Sexual Harassment Committee to address the matter swiftly. Meanwhile, faculty members and the Kalyani University Teachers’ Council have submi – tted representations demanding protection for women on campus and the immediate revocation of Prof Mukherjee’s reinstatement. They argue that allowing a rape-accused individual to hold a leadership position sends a troubling message and jeopardises the university’s commitment to a safe and respectful academic environment.