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People who are vocal about women’s rights face bizarre criticisms and judgements. There is a shocking number of people who believe feminists to be a man-hating cult working towards making the society matriarchal. “Why do women have to complain about everything?”, or “Why is it that so many women face sexual abuse? There must be something wrong with them” are some of the several obnoxious questions that are asked. But it’s time people started asking the right questions, one of them being “Does a woman’s voice even matter?” now that a shocking incident from NIFT has been reported.

56 women housekeeping staffers have been fired from National Institute of Fashion Technology in Hyderabad after they complained of sexual harassment by one male employee of the college. That’s 56 voices against one man.

56. Please let this number be etched in your brain. 56 women’s complaint against one man. All of the women have been fired. The man continues to teach. 56 women’s word is also not enough against a man’s word in our country. https://t.co/jKNvUd9opV — #MeTooIndia (@IndiaMeToo) June 18, 2019

According to sources, the accused, D Srinivas Reddy, continues to work in the college while all 56 female staffers have been let go. Some of them had been working in the college for a decade.

“Srinivas used to sexually harass women employees who would attend to his cabin. He would hold the women staff by their hips, click their photographs without consent, and invite them home to sleep with him. He became so open about his acts that he would directly come to me and ask me to send young and pretty women to his cabin. When I told him that none of the women wanted to work with him, he said that I have a good figure and asked me to sleep with him”, said Ratna Kumari, a supervisor.

He allegedly asked women to sleep with him adding that his wife wasn’t home. He used sexual connotations while speaking to them. This went on for a year after which three women quit their jobs.

October last year, the women first went to higher authorities of the college and complained about Reddy. Receiving no response, they decided to file an official complaint with the police. Reddy has been intimidating the women ever since. It’s been 7 months since the women lodged a complaint and no action has been taken by the Internal Complaints Committee of the college or the police since Reddy has a fair amount of influence on them.

The women have now united for a protest against Reddy demanding justice. However, the women in protest have been detained by the police who are looking into the possibility of a fake complaint.

People across the nation are enraged and are condemning the authority’s and the police’s negligence towards the case.

56 women housekeeping staff – yes, 56 – who complained of sexual harassment against a #NIFT employee have been asked to leave, the accused continues in his job. And then people ask why women do not file official complaints! THIS is why. #MeToo #Avalkoppamhttps://t.co/l0Gqs0txbh — Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) June 18, 2019

56 women housekeeping staffers at the NIFT in Hyderabad are staring at a bleak future, after the institute fired them & This comes after the women complained abt sexual harassment by one of the employees – while the accused, D Srinivas Reddy, continues to work in the campus. — Ananya Pundit (@AnanyaPundit26) June 19, 2019

Us at Nift hyderabad were shocked to see that man just enter college as if nothing ever happened and continue with his daily routine.

We still can't believe that a man THAT disgusting was able to kick so many housekeeping staff out and his audacity to show his face in college. — Bhoomika Dadhich (@DadhichBhoomika) June 19, 2019

56 women housekeepers who accused NIFT employee of sexual harassment asked to leave while the accused still continues to be employed. When will we start believing women? @IndiaMeToo @INBreakthrough https://t.co/NE0RWWEbog — Sohini Bhattacharya (@SohiniBee) June 19, 2019

If an educational institute cannot take action against a persistent harasser, then how can they guarantee the safety of the students? This is absolutely shameful!