More than 150 girls of Calcutta University’s Viharilal College of Home and Social Sciences have alleged that they are being forced to attend the classes of a teacher accused of molesting a postgraduate student.

The students had informed the university authorities in January that they would prefer to stay away from Indubhusan Mondal’s class as he often made comments with “sexual overtones”.

They also lodged a complaint which was signed by all women teachers of the college.

The students have alleged that Mondal, a leader of the CPM-controlled Calcutta University Teachers’ Association, is “pressuring” them to attend his classes. “He is coming to class regularly, signing the attendance register and marking us absent,” said a student.

“The students whose attendance is low have no option but to attend his classes. Or else, they might not be allowed to sit for the exams because of low attendance. This amounts to a pressure tactic,” said a woman teacher.

The students and women teachers are wondering how the authorities could allow Mondal to come to class when a molestation case is pending against him.

Soon after the postgraduate student lodged her complaint against the teacher, the students demanded that he be suspended.

But, sources said, Mondal’s link with the ruling party prevented the authorities from acting against him.

“This is violation of a Supreme Court order, which stated that any complaint of sexual harassment on campus has to acted on immediately,” said a student.

The university’s syndicate had set up a one-woman commission to probe the allegation against Mondal early this month. “The commission is likely to submit its report by the second week of March. We will take appropriate action after going through the report,” said registrar Samir Bandyopadhyay.

The students and the women teachers have also organised a number of protests over the past one-and-a-half months, demanding Mondal’s removal.