Kolkata: Graffiti proclaiming ‘Azad Kashmir’ and ‘Free Palestine’ appeared on a wall near gate number three of Jadavpur University (JU), sparking a controversy. Despite the row, most classes and exams proceeded as scheduled on Monday. Additionally, the alleged presence of plainclothes police on campus, coinciding with the arrival of a professor associated with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), drew criticism from some students and faculty members.
Protests have been ongoing at JU for the past few days after two students were injured on March 1 when a car belonging to West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu and another accompanying vehicle allegedly grazed past them during a Left-wing protest on campus. An FIR has been filed against Basu and TMC leader and professor Om Prakash Mishra in connection with the incident.
The graffiti, painted in black, raised questions about who or which organization was behind it. Kishalay Roy, president of the JU Trinamool Chhatra Parishad unit, claimed that "ultra-Left student outfits" were responsible and suggested more such graffiti could be found across the campus. Abhinaba Basu, leader of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) JU unit, denied supporting secessionist views but condemned the repression of minorities in BJP-ruled states. He also affirmed SFI’s clear stance on the Palestine issue.
Om Prakash Mishra, a senior faculty member and TMC-aligned academic, criticized the graffiti, stating, "We are against any poster or graffiti that supports secessionist views." When Mishra entered the campus for the first time since the March 1 incident, he was met with slogans like "Freedom from BJP-TMC dictatorship" and "Go back" by Left-leaning students.
SFI and AIDSO activists, along with JU Teachers’ Association (JUTA) and All Bengal University Teachers’ Association (ABUTA), alleged that around 30 plainclothes police personnel entered the campus around 1 PM on Monday shortly after Mishra arrived and remained until the afternoon. Souryadipto Roy, an SFI leader, said students became agitated upon spotting the plainclothes police and demanded an end to intimidation by the ruling TMC and state administration. "We refuse to engage in discussions with the university administration until the police leave," he said.
Mishra, who returned to the campus nine days after the March 1 protests, was manhandled following the student injuries that day. He claimed no knowledge of the police presence, stating he had not informed them of his arrival and did not require security at his "own university" among students and colleagues.
JUTA General Secretary Partha Pratim Roy expressed disapproval of the police presence, whether uniformed or in plainclothes. He said senior teachers and students persuaded the agitating students not to escalate the issue, preventing it from spiraling out of control. Students submitted a charter of demands, including student union elections and campus safety, to university officials. Roy added, "We hope classes will fully resume from tomorrow."
Goutam Maity, an ABUTA office-bearer and senior JU faculty member, called the reported presence of plainclothes police during Mishra’s visit "unfortunate." A senior university official denied that police were called to the campus and stated they had no information about their presence inside. "Police have been outside the campus since March 1, keeping vigil," he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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