After being stuck for hours in Jadavpur University amid protests by students, Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Thursday was taken out from the campus by state Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar who had arrived at the scene after receiving complaints from the BJP lawmaker.
After being stuck for hours in Jadavpur University amid protests by students, Union Minister Babul Supriyo on Thursday was taken out from the campus by state Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar who had arrived at the scene after receiving complaints from the BJP lawmaker.
BJP MP from Asansol parliamentary constituency was allegedly heckled by a section of students and was forced by Students' Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students Association (AISA) members to remain in the university campus, where he had gone to participate in an event organised by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS.
Meanwhile, West Bengal’s Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said: “This is most unfortunate and shocking that our Governor, the custodian of the Constitution of the State, without informing the elected government went to the so-called rescue of the BJP leader from Jadavpur University. BJP leader Babul Supriyo went there to attend the BJP student’s wing program without informing the Govt even. Some unfortunate incident happened between BJP students wing and JU students. The state police were waiting outside the university, but were unable to enter in the absence of any communication from the VC."
1. Partha Chatterjee on violence
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He added: “Hon’ble Governor went there without taking the State Government into confidence. On his way, he rang up the CM. CM requested him several times that the Governor being the constitutional head need not go at this moment. The CM requested him to give the government some time to peacefully solve the issue. But instead of taking the government into confidence, the Governor went there to help BJP. Before going there, he released two press statements that I quote “this is a very serious reflection on the law and order in the State”.”
2. Partha Chatterjee accuses Governor of bias
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He added: “He of course did not offer any comment on the vandalism perpetrated by BJP and ABVP goons in the Jadavpur University campus today. We strongly oppose his political views. Neither TMCP nor police are involved in the incident. It is absolutely with BJP and Leftist union students versus BJP leader. So question of law and order does not arise. The state police facilitated in taking the BJP leader and the Governor out of the troubled spot. The vandalism perpetrated in Jadavpur University today by BJP goons is a stark reminder of what happened in the political rally in front of Calcutta University and vandalisation of the bust of Pandit Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar in Vidyasagar College before the Lok Sabha election. We do not have words to condemn such shocking acts of violence and trouble-mongering.”
3. Heavy arrangements outside campus
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Police made heavy security arrangement outside the university campus ahead of the visit of the Governor who had to go to the university after police and university administration apparently failed to get the minister leave from the site of protest.
The left-wing student organisations' members protested against his visit to the campus and raised slogans against him demanding an apology.
In a communique, the university said its VC Dr Suranjan Das and a Professor VC PK Ghosh were admitted to a hospital in Dhakuria at around 6:40 pm after they complained of headache, vertigo, palpitation and nausea.
"Both of them suffered accelerated hypertension or a sudden onset of hypertension," the communique said.
Amid the chaos, the minister sat on the bonnet of a media vhicle and was seen making attempts to pacify the agitated students.
4. Governor takes very serious view
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Before arriving at the university, Governor Dhankhar in a statement said he took "a very serious view" of the "unlawful detention of a Union Minister" and observed that his gherao reflects the state's law and order situation. He called University Chancellor Suranjan Das and state Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De on the matter. During his conversation with the VC, the Governor "indicated to him that it was improper for him not to have taken prompt steps in the matter".
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta also took to Twitter to slam the protesting students for blocking entry of the minister and termed the incident as "disgraceful".
"Disgraceful scenes in Jadavpur University as pro-Naxal students supporting Azadi in Kashmir block entry of Babul Supriyo. All this happening despite an attempt by VC to appeal for calm. This is the state of some of our universities where a small minority flex their muscles," he wrote.
