SFI Alleges Bengal Minister's Vehicle Lacked Pollution Control Certification

Synopsis

On March 2, the Student's Federation of India claimed the vehicle of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, which hit two students at Jadavpur University, had an expired pollution control certificate. The controversy escalated amid protests and accusations from both students and the Trinamool Congress party.

Key Takeaways

Expired pollution control certificate for Minister's vehicle.
Claims of vehicle ownership by Kunal Ghosh.
Scuffle between students and Minister's entourage.
Five FIRs filed over the incident.
Two students injured in the altercation.

Kolkata, Mar 2 (NationPress) The Student's Federation of India (SFI) asserted on Sunday that the vehicle belonging to West Bengal's Education Minister Bratya Basu, which collided with two students within the Jadavpur University (JU) premises, possessed an expired pollution control certificate.

As per a portal that tracks registered vehicles, State SFI Secretary Debanjan Dey revealed that the pollution control certificate for the vehicle with registration number WB25L7195 had lapsed on December 23, 2024.

Dey pointed out that while the portal does not list the owner's full name, it seems to suggest that the vehicle belongs to Kunal Ghosh, the General Secretary of the State Trinamool Congress.

The vehicle details from the portal, a hard copy of which is with IANS, indicate the owner's name as -- U*A* *H*S*.

However, Ghosh denied any ownership of the vehicle.

"I do not own a vehicle that is leased to the state government. I’m unaware of the actual owner. Even if the name is Kunal Ghosh, it does not pertain to me. I believe Bratya Basu is also aware of the owner's name. Typically, these vehicles are owned by private rental agencies, which also provide their cars to the state government on hire. The SFI is making unfounded accusations to divert attention from their misconduct at Jadavpur University on Saturday, where the State Education Minister faced harassment and assault," Ghosh asserted.

Meanwhile, the SFI leader stated that the Minister visited the university accompanied by individuals from different regions of the state with the aim to assert control over Jadavpur University.

"The students merely resisted that," Dey remarked.

The chaos erupted when the Minister's vehicle was reportedly halted after entering the campus, leading to a scuffle. The students were demanding prompt elections for the university's student council.

So far, five FIRs have been filed regarding the incident, and one former student has been apprehended.

Out of the five FIRs, three have been lodged by the Trinamool Congress-affiliated West Bengal College and University Professors Association, accusing the protesting students of heckling the Minister and damaging university property.

Conversely, the students have filed FIRs alleging that the Minister's vehicle intentionally struck them, resulting in serious injuries to two protesting students. One former student of Jadavpur University, Sahel Ali, was detained by police late Saturday night.

Amid the unrest, the Minister sustained minor injuries and felt unwell. He was subsequently taken to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital and was discharged later.