Kolkata:
Activists of various Leftist student bodies and Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) engaged in clashes across West Bengal on Monday during a strike called by CPI(M)’s student wing SFI on university campuses in the state demanding the resignation of Education Minister Bratya Basu.
Clashes were reported between members of the TMC’s students’ wing and Leftist activists of AIDSO and SFI in Medinipur town in Paschim Medinipur district, Siliguri in Darjeeling district, Cooch Behar district and Panskura in Purba Medinipur district.
Members of TMCP and the Leftist student bodies exchanged blows at Vidyasagar University and Medinipur College in Paschim Medinipur district, Panskura Banamali College in Purba Medinipur and North Bengal University in Siliguri as the TMCP activists tried to prevent the Leftist students from enforcing the strike and suspension of classes.
Classes were disrupted in several state-run higher educational institutions in districts due to the strike.
Campuses of Jadavpur and Presidency universities in Kolkata wore a deserted look as common students, faculty members and other staffers stayed away while Students’ Federation of India (SFI) members gathered on the campuses to enforce the day-long strike that began at 10 am.
Activists of SFI, AIDSO, AISA and RSF staged demonstrations on the Jadavpur University campus, raising slogans and beating drums. They also locked the doors of many departments to enforce the strike.
A JU official said no classes could be held on the campus during the day.
At Presidency University, which is also a stronghold of Leftist student bodies, members of the SFI staged a protest holding placards against the “muscle flexing and strong-arm tactics of TMC and provocative conduct of the education minister on March 1”.
An official of the university said, “No classes were held at the university today.” Campuses of other higher educational institutions such as Calcutta University, Rabindra Bharati University and Burdwan University also wore a deserted look as most classes were not held even though semester examinations were conducted as per schedule, officials said.
However, fewer SFI activists were seen on these campuses, unlike at JU and Presidency University.
Activists of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, the students’ wing of the ruling TMC, were also present on the campuses.
The strike did not affect vehicular movement as the SFI activists did not cause any disruption to road traffic. Candidates could reach various centres across the state in the morning without any hassle to take the West Bengal board class 12 examinations that began on Monday.
Two students were injured when a car in the convoy of Mr Basu grazed past them during a fight in Jadavpur University on March 1 as Leftists students tried to prevent the minister from leaving the campus, demanding a discussion on the conduct of student union polls. Mr Basu sustained injuries as the windshield of his car was damaged by the protesters.
Mr Basu had gone to the university to attend the AGM of West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA) as the chairman of the TMC-aligned teachers’ body.
“Outsiders sheltered by the TMC had instigated the violence and vandalism on the Jadavpur University campus on Saturday during the AGM of WBCUPA in the presence of Mr Basu,” SFI state committee member Shuvajit Sarkar alleged.
Tracing the chain of events on the Jadavpur University campus on March 1, Sarkar told PTI, “The students only wanted to have a discussion with the education minister in the presence of vice-chancellor but he behaved in a high-handed manner with them and tried to leave the campus in a huff.” Despite the students demanding an audience with the minister, he, accompanied by TMC musclemen and outsiders, boarded his car and his driver accelerated the vehicle without concern about the safety of the students who were protesting near the vehicle. His car injured two students, one of them seriously, and he did not bother to look back and instead, sped away, Sarkar alleged.
“Basu is responsible for the injuries to the two students and we demand his resignation from the state cabinet and police action against him for fuelling fire on Jadavpur University campus,” he said.
The SFI will extend its help to the smooth conduct of the higher secondary examinations and will organise camps near examination centres to assist the candidates, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
