Jadavpur University Row: Cal HC Seeks Bengal Govt's Report On Agitation By March 12 | Details

Amid the spiraling row over the students' on-campus agitation over student union election dates, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday directed the TMC-led West Bengal government to file a comprehensive report on the incidents that unfolded during the visit of Education Minister Bratya Basu to Jadavpur University on March 1.

Hearing a students' petition over police inaction, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh directed the state to prepare a comprehensive report on the series of events that took place on the campus that day. The court directed the state to submit the report on March 12, when the matter will be heard again.

In a fresh standoff at the Jadavpur University campus in Kolkata on March 1, members of CPI(M) students wing Students Federation of India (SFI) and left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) 'gheraoed' West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu while raising their voice seeking the students union election dates in the state.

The minister, who went to the JU campus to attend the annual general meeting of the West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA) later said that he tried speaking to the agitating students, but was surrounded by over 100 of them who did not listen to him.

Advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, who represented the petitioners, submitted that the suo motu FIR did not have any mention of the injuries caused to a student because of rash and negligent driving by the minister's driver inside the campus.

Taking cognisance of the development, the court asked why the police did not lodge an FIR on an e-mail complaint by the injured student. It then directed the police to register the FIR by Wednesday itself.

What All Did The Court Say?

Hearing a petition by some students about alleged police inaction over their complaints, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh asked whether the intelligence authorities informed the minister about the agitation that was to take place at the varsity during his visit.

Stating that the court is bothered whether there was any intelligence failure on the part of the police about the agitation on that day in the university, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh observed he does not want people coming too close to a constitutional authority as in the "neighbouring country".

"I don't want this to be an example in the rest of West Bengal," Justice Ghosh observed orally while adding that such incidents may spread like an epidemic throughout the state and crowd management will become a problem.

The court also observed that the events on that day could have been avoided if the police took responsibility. The court said that under the garb of agitation, coming in the close vicinity of the minister and manhandling him is not welcome.

About The Incident

As per reports, the protest began even before the minister's arrival and the West Bengal College and University (WBCUPA) officials tried dispersing the agitating students. Later, the students allegedly blocked the minister's vehicle and deflated the car tires.

Later, one of the protesting students sustained serious injuries as amid the agitation, the minister's vehicle was driven irresponsibly within the university campus.

Basu was taken to state-run SSKM Hospital as he experienced uneasiness and sustained minor injuries to his left hand.

"I have undergone an x-ray test as I felt pain in my chest. However, doctors told me there was no serious injury. There were some external marks on the upper part of my body but these are not serious," he told reporters while leaving the hospital, as per PTI.

When asked about the alleged turmoil, Bratya Basu said, "I was ready to talk to the protesting students. Even the SFI handed over a memorandum to me, but when I was about to board the car again, over 100 protestors turned aggressive and surrounded me. I was ready to speak to five representatives even in the presence of the vice-chancellor, but they did not want constructive dialogue. They wanted chaos and lawlessness. They tried to attack my vehicle," the minister said.

What Did The SFI Members Say?

Commenting on the incident, SFI leader Kaushiki Bhattacharya said the agitating students only wanted to have a discussion with the minister over conducting the students' union polls at the earliest.

"We did not resort to violence. It is the TMC outsiders who joined some of their sympathisers on the campus to attack our activists and use abusive language against us," she said.

She claimed that two left student activists were injured after the cars in Basu's convoy ran over their ankles and they had to be admitted to hospital in serious condition.