The Governor of West Bengal and Chancellor of Jadavpur University, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has expressed his relief that his visit on Thursday, 19 September, to the University brought an end to the situation. In a press release, he said, “In his capacity as Chancellor, being guardian of the students, he took the call so as to connect with the students in the interest of education and institution.”
The release also added that before his visit to the University, he had “exhausted all possible avenues that could bring an end to the unsavoury spectacle by flagging the issue to the DGP and the Chief Secretary.”
According to the release, Dhankar, before going, also took the initiative of connecting with Mamata Banerjee and apprising her of the situation and its possible consequences.
The comment comes hours after Union Minister Babul Supriyo was shown black flags and heckled by a section of Jadavpur University students, who also stopped him from leaving the campus, prompting Dhankhar to rush to the campus with a large police force.
“Unfortunate, Shocking”: TMC
The Trinamool Congress on Thursday had criticised Governor Jagdeep Dhankar for his "partisan approach" in blaming the West Bengal government for the Jadavpur University fiasco, terming it "unfortunate and shocking" that he went to campus without informing the ruling dispensation.
TMC secretary general and Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said Dhankar went to the JU campus despite requests by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to not go there and give the government certain time to control the situation.
“This is the most unfortunate and shocking,” said Trinamool Congress criticising the Governor for going to the rescue of BJP leader Babul Supriyo when it was not given a green signal from the state government.
The party’s statement comes hours after serious drama unfolded in Jadhavpur University on Thursday, 19 September when Supriyo reached the college to attend a program organised by RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Supriyo was heckled by members of two Left leaning organisations – Arts Faculty Students' Union (AFSU) and Students Federation of India (SFI) – who raised slogans of 'Babul Supriyo Go Back', reported PTI.
Responding to the incident, National General Secretary of BJP, Kailash Vijayvargiya took to Twitter and wrote, “The law and order situation has become so bad that Union Minister Supriyo Babul, and the Governor himself had to go to Jadavpur University. Supriyo went to attend a program at the university, was heckled for a long time.”
The students had reportedly also stopped him from leaving the campus, prompting Dhankhar to rush to the campus with a large police force.
Both Dhankhar and Supriyo, however finally left the campus late in the evening hours after university teachers persuaded the agitating students to lift their blockade.
‘Supriyo Went Ahead Without Informing Govt’
TMC secretary general and Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said that Dhankar went to the JU campus despite requests by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to not go there and give the government certain time to control the situation.
“BJP leader Babul Supriyo went there to attend the BJP students' wing program without even informing the government," he said.
Chatterjee further said: “The state police was waiting outside the university, but were unable to enter in the absence of any communication from the VC (vice-chancellor).”
However, sources said that VC Suranjan Das said that he would rather resign than call the police.
“(The) governor went there without taking the State Government into confidence. On his way, he rang up the CM,” said Chatterjee.
Chatterjee said that Mamata Banerjee requested him several times that the Governor, being the constitutional head, did not need to go at that 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,” said the education minister.
‘No Question of Law & Order’: Chatterjee Slams Dhankhar
Chatterjee questioned the Dhankhar's statement where he said that “this is a very serious reflection on the law and order in the state,” and wondered why the governor did not offer any comment on the vandalism allegedly perpetrated by the BJP and ABVP “goons” in the Jadavpur University campus on Thursday.
“We strongly oppose his political views,” said Chatterjee, adding that neither the TMC students’ wing nor the police were involved in the incident, which he said was between the Left students’ union versus the BJP and Supriyo.
Hence, Chatterjee said that a 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,” said Chatterjee.
The TMC leader said that the vandalism in the University by “BJP goons” was a stark reminder of what happened in front of Calcutta University during a Lok Sabha election rally and subsequent vandalisation of a bust of Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar in Vidyasagar College.
“We do not have words to condemn such shocking acts of violence and trouble-mongering,” he added.
The VC and Pro VC PK Ghosh were admitted to AMRI Hospitals in Dhakuria, at around 6:40 pm. Both of them have been admitted with complaints of headache, vertigo, palpitation and nausea.
The University students have reportedly planned a protest against the hooliganism on Friday at 4 pm.
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