Bhuj hostel inmates made to undergo menstruation check

A seven-member team of the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Sunday met the women inmates of a hostel at Bhuj in Kutch district of Gujarat, who were allegedly forced to undergo a menstruation check by college authorities.

The team was told that during the admission process, girl students had given their consent to the rules which said that they have to sleep and eat separately when menstruating.

The incident came to light on 14 February, when several women students protested outside the college against the stripping and the controversial hostel rules, reported sources.

The Gujarat State Commission for Women took suo motu knowledge of the alleged incident and also sought a detailed report from the Bhuj police. The NCW set up an inquiry committee on 15 February.

After meeting the students, a member of the NCW said they were shocked to find that a register was being maintained at the hostel to identify the menstruating girls, who were then asked not have their meals in the dining hall and not to sleep on their beds. The team was also informed that the girls had consented to the rules and their only objection was to being stripped in order to check whether the rules were being followed or not.

NCW members talked to 47 girls who were present there on Sunday, but would continue the inquiry for two more days.

Meanwhile, police said that an SIT has been formed with woman police officials as its members, to probe the incident.

Darshana Dholakia, in-charge Vice-Chancellor of the Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kutch University, to which the SSGI is affiliated, said, “The hostel has a rule that girls having periods are not supposed to take meals with other inmates. However, some menstruating girls broke this rule. When the matter reached the authorities, some of the girls voluntarily allowed a woman employee to check them.”