Jadavpur University VC Advocates for Judicial Inquiry into Campus Disturbance
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Synopsis
On March 4, the acting vice chancellor of Jadavpur University, Bhaskar Gupta, proposed a judicial inquiry into campus unrest that left two students injured after an alleged incident involving West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu. The meeting highlighted contrasting demands from faculty associations regarding the incident and student council elections.
Key Takeaways
- Judicial probe proposed by Bhaskar Gupta.
- Two students hospitalized after being hit by a vehicle.
- Conflicts among faculty associations over incident response.
- Students demand immediate election for the council.
- SFI criticizes lack of engagement with students.
Kolkata, March 4 (NationPress) The interim vice chancellor of Jadavpur University, Bhaskar Gupta, proposed on Tuesday the establishment of a judicial panel to investigate the disturbances that occurred on the university campus last week, resulting in two students suffering serious injuries and requiring hospitalization after allegedly being struck by the vehicle of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu, who was reportedly confronted by protesting students during the incident.
Gupta presented this proposal during a virtual meeting with representatives from various college and university teachers' associations. Due to health issues following the disturbances on Saturday, he participated in the meeting remotely.
“The discussion also touched upon the elections for the students’ council of Jadavpur University, which was the focal point of the student protests on Saturday,” noted a faculty member who attended the meeting.
At the same time, differences emerged during the meeting between representatives from the Left-aligned Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) and the Trinamool Congress-affiliated West Bengal College & University Professors’ Association (WBCUPA).
JUTA members insisted on the filing of FIRs regarding the incident involving the two students being struck by the minister’s vehicle. Conversely, WBCUPA representatives opposed this and called for an investigation into the weaponry found at a Trinamool Congress-affiliated office on campus on the night of the incident.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), expressed disappointment over the acting vice-chancellor's lack of engagement with students to discuss restoring normalcy and announcing a date for the students’ council elections.
“If the acting vice-chancellor can meet with teachers, what prevents him from having a similar online dialogue with students?” questioned an SFI representative.
The disturbances erupted on campus Saturday when the minister's vehicle was allegedly halted upon entering the premises, leading to a confrontation. Students were demanding immediate elections for the university's students’ council.
The protesting students accused Minister Basu of intentionally hitting two of their fellow students as he attempted to exit the campus amid the protests, resulting in serious injuries that necessitated hospitalization.
During the protests, the minister also sustained minor injuries and fell ill, prompting his admission to the state-operated S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital, from which he was later discharged.
