A lecturer at the Bengaluru St Joseph’s Autonomous College was terminated from service on Thursday, allegedly due to his sexual orientation.
Ashley Tellis, Associate Professor with the college’s Department of English, told The Hindu that he was asked to leave a lecture midway and was called to the principal’s chamber.
“I was told that my services were terminated as students were very disturbed by my personal opinion. I was even told that I was hired to teach literature and not to have personal opinions,” The Hindu quoted Tellis as saying.
“Soon after that he informed me that the management of the Institute had asked him to remove me and I was relieved immediately,” he added.
Meanwhile, the college authorities said the action has nothing to do with the lecturer’s sexual identity and the he was suspended because he violated the norms of the institution.
Principal of the institute Victor Lobo responded that the allegations made by Tellis are baseless and the College supports the cause of the LGBT community.
Former students alleged that some of the practices of the college were undemocratic and conservative in nature and the lecturer’s suspension was the latest example of the management’s autocratic nature.
“Victor Lobo is a sexist, patriarchal man who is making the college a hell for students. There was blatant moral policing prevalent on campus. Students couldn’t hug or walk around holding hands. They couldn’t share earphones either. Students who were found dating were asked to get married,” St. Joseph’s College Students’ council former President Vyshakh Thaliyil told Newsd.
