Govt will not support vandalism at Jadavpur University: Bengal Minister

Kolkata, Aug 23 (AHN) State Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul on Saturday reacted to the recent clash at Jadavpur University. They asserted that the government will not support any party for vandalism, even if they belong to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Paul condemned the damage to the university’s emblem during the clash. She said, “If the special reputation and emblem of Jadavpur University, which has been passed down since the time of independence, is broken today, I do not support it. We do not support outsiders entering educational institutions. We will not support it, no matter which party it belongs to, even if it is from my party. Please do not bring politics into schools, colleges or universities; keep them out.”

Her remarks came after fresh clashes broke out between activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) outside the Jadavpur University campus in south Kolkata on Thursday, a day after a similar confrontation left several students injured.

The latest violence followed separate protest rallies organised by the two student groups to condemn the clashes that took place on the JU campus in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Two separate clashes subsequently broke out, the first at the 8B Bus Stand crossing between SFI activists and security personnel, and the second in front of the main gate of JU between SFI and ABVP activists. During the second clash, the engraved emblem of Jadavpur University, designed by renowned painter Nandalal Bose, was damaged. On Friday, the emblem was repaired and reinstalled at gate number four of the campus.

It is alleged that politics played a role in the education sector during the Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments. The BJP has said it will keep the education sector free from politics after the change of government in the state. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also conveyed this message. The issue was reiterated by Agnimitra Paul, who said, “Once upon a time, it was called Anilayan, Parthayan or Mamatayan. But in our time, no one can say that. Those placed on the board by the current Chief Minister are not involved in politics. We do not want politics in everything.”