IGNCA Ranchi: Former Female Employee Complains of ‘Systemic Harassment’ During Probe

New Delhi: A former employee of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in Ranchi has alleged “systemic harassment” within the institution, highlighting her concerns over what she terms as “institutional mental harassment”. She has also alleged that she was fired from her job when she raised the issue of workplace harassment.

The employee first raised the issue in the beginning of the year, but says the regional administration pressured her into withdrawing her complaint, following which in May this year, institutional action was initiated against her.

"In May 2020, a complaint letter was sent against me from the Ranchi Centre to the Delhi Head Office, without the knowledge of the then Regional Director. On this, Regional Director Ajay Kumar Mishra mailed the Delhi Head Office of IGNCA and said that since the complaint letter had been sent without his permission or information, it should be considered as invalid,” the woman told NewsClick over the phone.

Thereafter, an external inquiry committee was set up after an email from the regional officer. The woman said: “These people set up an inquiry committee in a confidential manner without telling me. They coordinated the investigation committee with a local NGO. On June 11, the Regional Director called me, saying that the inquiry committee is coming today, you have to come. So I went. There was one Ranjana Kumari, who while giving her political introduction, said “I am Ranjana Kumari from ABVP.”

The complainant said she had also lodged a formal police complaint in February this year. A formal meeting was convened by the Regional Director on the May 20 under pressure from IGNCA HQ, said the complainant, adding that “in the name of an external enquiry, I was called by a woman named Ranjana Kumari who claimed to be a member of ABVP. I was asked to present myself in front of the committee. However, a group of three women, claiming to be external members of the committee appointed to handle my complaint, took me into a closed room for the inquiry and spoke to me in an interrogative manner, exceeding the limits and purview of both the case and office space for that matter.”

The woman alleged that all this happened in a “demeaning, slandering, and victimising manner .... They claimed themselves to be associated with ABVP. I wrote an extensive mail to IGNCA authorities illustrating my plight regarding the inhuman and orchestrated plot played by them in the name of an inquiry,” she added.

However, IGNCA has denied all her allegations as “baseless.”

Speaking with NewsClick, R A Rangnekar, Director (Administration) of IGNCA, said: “The allegations levelled against us are baseless.”

The complaint alleged that “despite being terminated from my job, I am still being threatened in various ways by the Member Secretary."

While the administration had asked the complainant to wait for the outcome of the inquiry committee, the accused Rakesh Pandey resigned on June 16, 2020 citing personal reasons. The woman alleged that “even while leaving office on July 10, he threatened me, saying, I will assassinate your character to the point that there is no looking back”.

The complainant said instead of getting justice, she was asked to unconditionally tender an apology. She has now filed an RTI in the matter and is awaiting a response.

Speaking with NewsClick, Sachidanand Joshi, member secretary of IGNCA said: “The charges levelled are baseless and an enquiry is on, so we do not want to comment.”

The complainant, who is a former student of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, said her fellow students had initiated a campaign to ensure justice for her.

“It’s hard to break the vicious circle of harassment and power politics. They kept on breaching the principles of fundamental justice and equity,” the woman said.

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