Bengal News: A new controversy has erupted at Jadavpur University following the appearance of graffiti demanding "Azad Kashmir" and "Free Palestine." The student wing of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has accused “ultra-left outfits” of being behind the graffiti, while the Students Federation of India (SFI), linked to CPI(M), has denied any involvement.
This incident comes amid ongoing protests at the university, sparked by an incident on March 1 when two students were injured after vehicles in West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu's convoy brushed past them during a leftist protest on campus.
According to a Hindustan Times report, the graffiti was found on a wall near gate number three, but it remains unclear who is responsible for it. Kishalay Roy, president of the TMC's student wing, stated, “Some ultra-left student outfits are behind this and more graffiti can be found if one explores the campus.”
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In response, Abhinaba Basu, a leader of the SFI at Jadavpur University, firmly stated that their organisation does not support any separatist views. “While we oppose the repression of minorities in BJP-ruled states, we do not endorse secessionist perspectives,” he said, reiterating the SFI's stance on Palestine.
Despite the unrest, classes and exams at the university proceeded as scheduled on Monday. Protests have been ongoing at Jadavpur University, particularly following the injuries sustained by students during the March 1 incident involving Minister Basu. An FIR has been filed against Basu and TMC leader Om Prakash Mishra in connection with the violence that ensued.
Tensions escalated when students and faculty expressed their discontent over the alleged presence of plainclothes police on campus during Mishra's visit. Activists from SFI and AIDSO, alongside professors' unions such as JUTA and ABUTA, reported that around 30 plainclothes officers entered the campus around 1 PM, coinciding with Mishra's arrival.
SFI leader Souryadipto Roy remarked that students became agitated upon seeing the police, chanting slogans demanding an end to intimidation from the ruling TMC and state administration. “We refuse to engage in any discussions with the university administration until the police leave,” he asserted.
Mishra's visit occurred nine days after the protests on March 1, during the AGM of the West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA). Both JUTA and ABUTA condemned the police presence on campus, with ABUTA calling it “unfortunate.”
Mishra, who was reportedly manhandled during the earlier protests, claimed he was unaware of the police's presence. He stated that he had not informed the police of his visit and did not require security at “his own university” among students and faculty.
A senior university official clarified that the police had not been summoned to the campus and that the university authorities were unaware of their presence. “Police have been monitoring outside the campus since March 1,” he confirmed.