Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said students should know how the BJP was saffronising educational institutions across the country, including Visva-Bharati, by replacing governing body members with BJP party members.
She also said one could protest in Visva-Bharati as the varsity was in Bengal.
Since Friday late evening, some Visva-Bharati students have gheraoed VC Bidyut Chakrabarty’s residence to protest the rustication of three students who were faces of dissent. The VC allegedly has saffron leanings.
“It is very important for students to know how the BJP is handling institutions in the country, including Visva-Bharati,” Mamata said.
“Visva-Bharati is in Bengal and that is why you can sit here (in protest). There are many institutes where you (BJP) changed the governing body and replaced the members with BJP party members,” Mamata added in her virtual address to students on the foundation day of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad.
Mamata’s comments came when a group of students have been gheraoing the Visva-Bharati VC at his residence since Friday night to protest the rustication of three students who had raised their voice against his “whimsical” actions.
Somnath Sow, one of the rusticated students and a member of the CPM’s students’ wing SFI, welcomed Mamata’s comments. “She is our chief minister and we want her on our side. We kept the dais open for all who wanted to protest against VC and his move to ruin Tagore’s legacy by making the campus a club of the BJP. We hope as chief minister she understands what is going on here.”
A Trinamul insider added: “In universities in BJP-ruled states, no one can protest wrongdoings of the saffron cadre.”
A group of Visva-Bharati students have gheraoed his residence, forcing him inside, since late Friday evening. Protesting students said the gherao would continue till the VC revoked the rustication and withdrew all vindictive decisions against teachers and employees who had raised their voice on campus.
A student has lodged a police complaint against three Visva-Bharati officials who allegedly heckled and threatened them when they came to protest.
Police said they are inquiring into the incidents.
On Saturday a group of teachers including members of Visva-Bharati faculty association officially announced that they would be with the students in this movement.
“We are also facing the vengeance of the VC for protesting against his activities. The time to flout the gag order has come. We will be with this movement till the end,” said Sudipta Bhattacharyya, the president of VBUFA. He had been suspended for daring to raise his voice against the VC.
“We demand immediate revocation of the rustication of these three students who has been the victims of the VC’s revenge. We have started a statewide movement and several students’ unions across the country are with the students here. On August 31, there would be a rally here and we would fight all the way against such vindictive varsity administration,” said Pratikur Rahaman, state president of SFI who met the protesters on Saturday.
