Kolkata3 hours agoAuthor: Tirthankar Das
Tension gripped Jadavpur University on Wednesday after supporters of several left student organisations and ABVP allegedly clashed on campus, with both sides accusing each other of violence.
ABVP alleges attack during protest
According to ABVP supporters, the incident began after SFI and other Left student organisations called a General Body meeting on campus. ABVP opposed the meeting, arguing that there is currently no elected students’ union at the university and that the state government has not issued any guidelines for student union elections.
ABVP alleged that during their protest, a group of around 70 to 80 people attacked its supporters, leaving at least seven students injured. The injured students were taken to a private hospital near the university for treatment.
Left students allege bamboo stick attack
However, students affiliated with Left organisations gave a contrasting account. They alleged that an ABVP-affiliated student attacked participants at the FETSU General Body meeting with bamboo sticks, while a larger group gathered outside the campus.
The students further alleged that the group later attacked another student who was standing outside the campus to buy food, allegedly assaulting him because he was a Jadavpur University student.
Stone pelting by ABVP near campus
According to the Left organisations, tensions escalated when an All Body Meeting and a Faculty Meeting resumed. They alleged that BJP, RSS, ABVP, and BMS supporters brought a crowd of around 500 people to the campus, with some allegedly arriving on motorcycles.
The Left organisations alleged that the group pelted stones, set fire to gate,s and attempted to break into the main hostel. They claimed students were forced to take shelter inside Aurobindo Bhavan as tensions escalated.
Police accused of remaining silent
They further alleged that Ashur Pathshala, an alumni-run tutoring centre for underprivileged students, was vandalised and its hoarding was set on fire. The organisations also claimed that all four university entrances were blocked and that police remained silent spectators during the violence.
Vice Chancellor contacted amid tensions
The Left organisations, DSF, RSF, and SFI, also alleged that the university authorities failed to intervene despite repeated appeals from students. According to them, the Vice-Chancellor was contacted several times, but allegedly asked the students to deal with the situation themselves and said he would look into the matter in the morning.
They further claimed that several FIRs were filed against students who were themselves under attack and that some injured students were stranded inside Aurobindo Bhavan, allegedly unable to access urgent medical treatment.
MLA visits injured students in hospital
Meanwhile, local MLA Sarbari Mukherjee visited the hospital to check on the injured students. She later accompanied them towards Jadavpur Police Station and alleged that Left organisations were repeatedly trying to create unrest at the university.
ABVP supporters also launched a protest outside Jadavpur Police Station, demanding action against those allegedly responsible for the violence.
