NSU Sexual Assault Case: Cong, YSRCP Move Adjournment Motions in Parliament

New Delhi: A 22-year-old BEd student of the National Sanskrit University in Tirupati has accused two assistant professors of sexually harassing and blackmailing her, prompting political uproar as both the YSRCP and the Congress moved separate adjournment motions seeking discussion on the incident in Parliament on monday. 

Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka gave a notice in the Lok Sabha on Monday seeking the suspension of regular business to debate the matter.

Similarly, YSRCP MP from Tirupati, Maddila Gurumoorthy, has escalated the issue by writing letters to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the National Commission for Women (NCW), the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). In his letters, he sought immediate intervention in the case, highlighting that continuous threats and mental torture had pushed the student into severe trauma, forcing her to discontinue her studies and return to her hometown in Odisha.

Gurumoorthy expressed grave concern over what he termed a "clear misuse of authority and unchecked power inside the university campus." He appealed to the Education Ministry for strict oversight and a "transparent, independent, time-bound investigation free from pressure or influence," demanding the immediate suspension and arrest of the accused professors.

His letters to the NCW, NCSC, and NHRC further requested close monitoring of the case to protect the survivor’s rights and safety and to prevent any institutional cover-up. The MP confirmed that the YSRCP will move an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to seek justice for the victim and demand immediate accountability.

Following the incident, the student has since returned to her hometown in Odisha. In her complaint, she alleged that the assistant professor, Dr Lakshman Kumar, harassed her, blackmailed and intimidated her using personal photographs and videos. She also accused another assistant professor, A Sekhar Reddy, of attempting similar acts.

The university’s Internal Complaints Committee investigated the case, confirmed the allegations, and submitted its report. Based on the findings, the registrar in charge filed a complaint at the Tirupati West police station against the assistant professor.

The university has also faced sharp criticism for its alleged delay in responding to the student’s initial complaint. Despite the victim reporting the matter to the warden on November 24, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee did not take action for nearly twelve days, raising questions over the institution’s handling of the case.

Earlier this year in a separate incident, a professor at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Silchar has been suspended after a female student accused him of sexual harassment, triggering protests on campus.

The accused, Dr Koteswara Raju Dhenukonda from the Electrical Engineering Department, was suspended immediately following a complaint filed by a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) student. The action came after students staged an overnight protest demanding strict measures against the professor.

The student, in a detailed written complaint, claimed that the harassment occurred when the professor summoned her to his chamber, citing concerns over her low grades.

"He asked me to sit beside him... and asked me why I get fewer marks. He started holding my hands and touching my fingers. He then gradually held my thighs. He then started playing vulgar songs in his computer in front of me... touched my stomach and rubbed my stomach. I started crying, but he did not stop. He asked me to feel comfortable and spread my legs properly. He then grabbed my neck from behind and kept holding it," the complaint, which has since gone viral, stated.

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