Chandigarh MMS fiasco: Are ladies hostels safe in Odisha?

The recent incident of the 'objectionable video' of a girl student of Chandigarh University, Punjab going viral has evoked fear, rumours and unrest among girls across the country. Meanwhile, questions have been raised if the girls' hostels of the institutions across Odisha are safe for the boarders or not.

In this tech-driven smart age, where every person is carrying a mobile phone with a camera, such a reprehensible incident in Punjab's leading Varsity has come as an alarming event for all. Several leading institutions across Odisha are on their toes and have begun to alert students to prevent such incidents of MMS. Several questions have been raised about whether the bathrooms of the hostels are lens protected or there are hidden cameras? Even it is questionable if the roommates are trustworthy or not.

As it turns out, both the students as well as the administration of a lot of Universities and colleges including the Ramadevi Women's University, have taken the incident on a serious note.

The Vice-Chancellor of the prestigious Varsity in Bhubaneswar has ordered the superintendents of five hostels to aware the girl students about cyber security. Moreover, the hostel wardens have also been ordered to aware the hostel residents to remain alert. Similar is the situation in all other colleges and universities including Fakir Mohan, Revenshaw and Gangadhar Meher Varsities. 

"We have ordered the wardens and the superintendents to discuss such issues with the hostel boarders and spread awareness," informed Professor Aparajita Chowdhury. 

"We visit room to room to learn about the problems of the inmates. Using phones is not allowed all the time. Even if someone accidentally leaves the phone in bathroom, the cleaner brings it to us," said Sanjukta Padhi, Head Warden, Gangadhar Meher University. 

On the other hand, students have expressed their views that the role of the administration is crucial. The students have urged, the administration should ensure that no one should carry a camera phone to common bathrooms with them. Moreover, restrictions should be tightened so that no outsider should enter the hostel. 

"Self-protection is essential, but the hostel administration should also remain alert and take some initiatives. The hostel wardens should be watchful that no one carries a mobile phone to the bathrooms, be it a girl or a boy. If any complaint is filed, immediate steps should be taken," said Rupsa Maitra, a student of Ramadevi University. 

Meanwhile, Chinmayi Routray, a student of Fakir Mohan University said, "How it was made, under what circumstances the video was done, everything should be rectified. The students at Varsities should not be approached for such things. In my opinion, students can only save themselves."