[Reader-list] Fwd: [stopragging] EXPOSED: The truth about ISB&M - for immediate relese and circulation

[Shivam Vij]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anti Ragging Cell <pace4change at yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 08:14:33 -0000
Subject: [stopragging] EXPOSED: The truth about ISB&M - for immediate
relese and circulation
To: stopragging at yahoogroups.com
Cc: vvdeshmukh at expressindia.com, zubair at reachoutpr.com, pk.gupta at isbm.ac.in


Dear friends,

You would remember that after an article about our work appeared in
the Pune edition of The Indian Express, someone called us to requested
us to do something about ragging at the Interntional School of
Business and Media, Pune. WE did not make some details of the
complaint public to protect the caller's identity, but we are doing so
now.

The caller had identified himself as Mr Sunil Srivastava, and said
that his son was being severely ragged at ISB&M. We asked what was
happening? We were told that freshers are kept awake till as late as 2
am, and asked to enact how you will sell condoms and sanitary napkins.
Mr Srivastava said tht on that night, 30 June 2004, there was going to
be a very harsh ragging session. He said that classes were till 5pm,
after which a ragging session continues till 8pm, followed by an
interval for dinner, and then freshers are ragged again till late in
the morning.

We said: Complain to the Director.

He said: 'We told the Director but he said this is training for the
corporate world. There is no use approaching him again. Please do
whatever you can to save my child... Please do something...'

He even named a particular ragger: It is not clear whether the name he
told us was Tushar Vaishnavi or Vishnoi, but Tushar it was.

We told him that the law is on his side. He can approach the police.
But he said all that would affect his child's placements as a matter
of retribution from seniors and Institute authorities.

We told him we'll do what we can. The next morning we called again on
the number; it turned out to be a PCO "ten minutes away" from ISB&M.
We strongly suspect it was a ragging victim himself pretending to be a
parent to protect his identity.

We wrote to the authorities at ISB&M Pune, who replied three days
later denying that any ragging was taking place at his institute. In
the few mails we exchanged with him, he repeatedly wanted to know the
name of the complainant. In the last mail he said:

"
 Dear Sachin
 We have always been and will remain very particular about our
students' comfort and well-being. All students are unanimous in
stating that they are very happy being at ISB&M, and that they have
no complaints whatsoever.
 Regards
 PK Gupta
"

It now appears that Mr Gupta's assertions are white lies. There is no
smoke without fire. Appended at the end of this mail is a news report
from the Pune Express which will tell you what we mean. The Director
did not reply our mail - and he can again claim that he did not
recieve it - in which we asked him if ISB&M offers hostel facilities.

Mr Pratap K. Gupta, the Director, had also said: "The hysterical,
frenzied and frightened tone of the complainant makes me doubt if it
was with a malicious intent."

The Stop Ragging Campaign lists ISB&M Pune as one of the institutions
in its ragging blacklist and appeals all students to think twice
before taking admission there.

We are writing to the Higher Education Minister and the Chief
Minister of Maharashtra, and also trying to get in touch with members
of the Board of Governors of ISB&M and appealing them that the
Director be relieved of his duties immediately for not complying with
the law.

Yours sincerely,
Sachin Agarwal
Team Stop Ragging

o o o o o o

 BJYM, Sena allege ragging, college orders probe

 The Indian Express / Pune, July 13
 http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid='343#

Was a girl of a private business school ragged by four of her
seniors?

The answer to this question seems lost in the din that was created by
activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) and Shiv Sena
student's wing who staged a protest in front of the institution, the
International School of Business and Media (ISBM), on Tuesday.

While the victim of the alleged ragging remains unidentified — the
ISBM management says it has received no complaints — the protesters
claim they know her identity but are unwilling to divulge her name.
Neither party has lodged a police complaint yet.

And to complicate matters further, a private television channel has
reportedly gone on air showing footage of the ``victim'' (masked, so
as not to reveal the face) speaking about her alleged humiliation.

After Tuesday's protest, ISBM has ordered an internal probe, the
findings of which will be out on July 16. But whatever the outcome,
Tuesday's incident has brought back not-to-distant memories of last
year when 26 students of ILS Law College were expelled for
indiscipline, read ragging.

Unlike ILS, however, the latest incident raises more questions than
answers.

The BJYM, which has launched an anti-ragging campaign in city
colleges, claims the girl was ragged by four seniors (including a
girl) early this month while the institute insists it has not
received any complaint from any of its 230-odd students.

``We cannot tolerate such acts of indiscipline but somebody has to
bring it to our notice,'' P K Gupta, director, ISBM, told Pune
Newsline.

And though the controversy has been brewing for sometime, it was only
after a private TV channel showed the ``victim'' that matters came to
a head.

The BJYM has since identified four seniors as ``culprits'' and
forwarded their names to the ISBM authorities which insists it is
still in the dark about the identity of the victim.

``Neither the BJYM is identifying the girl, nor the TV channel is
revealing details,'' an ISBM spokesman said. On the contrary, Gupta
alleged that the BJYM-Sena protesters resorted to pressure tactics,
unruly and abusive behaviour and even slapped one of the three boys
during their demo.

``They forced the trio to sign on a note of confession,'' he said,
adding that the seniors later gave a written submission to ISBM
stating that they were forced to sign a confessional statement.

``We plan to lodge a complaint in this regard with the police,''
Gupta said.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

The Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999, defines ragging as
display of disorderly conduct or an act which causes or is likely to
cause physical or psychological harm or raise apprehension, fear,
shame or embarrassment to a student within or outside an educational
institution. This includes, teasing, abusing, threatening, playing
practical jokes, causing hurt or asking a student to do any act or
perform something, which the student will not, in the ordinary
course, willingly do.

On receipt of any complaint, the concerned institution has to probe
the same within a week and suspend the offender in case of a prima
facie establishment of guilt. Besides, it also has to lodge a
complaint with the police.

Punishment: Two years imprisonment and fine up to Rs 10,000 on
conviction. Besides, dismissal from the educational institution for
five years.

o o o o o o

Sign our petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/ragging/petition.html

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================================
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Phone: 0 94152 55042
Email: pace4change at yahoo.com
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Raised one above my head
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