Jadavpur University campus in Kolkata is no stranger to violence. It has long been a citadel of Left politics at which BJP ideology had any place for decades which arguably the recent violence tried to “set right”
The attempt on the part of saffron camp activists to bulldoze into JU is part of a campaign to turn institutions into a part of the burgeoning group owing allegiance to it post BJP’s electoral triumph. But the crude endeavour has hit headlines and invited a barrage of criticism.
Neither the majority of students nor teachers of this university are inclined towards the BJP ideology. And trying to arm twist them will backfire on the saffron camp.
Jadavpur University students have good reasons for turning away from Rightist politics. Located almost cheek by jowl to the refugee colonies dotting Jadavpur University campus, many students drew inspiration from left politics espousing the cause of the have-nots.
The social science courses curriculum of JU are not quite in consonance with the “staid” syllabus of other universities; the JU courses encourage free thinking. The students of the engineering faculties mostly supported the left ideology
Set up in the halycon days of freedom struggle, Jadavpur University has been an institution of academic excellence at which Nobel laureate Amartya Sen who never had any soft spot for the saffron ideology started his teaching career. The students of the then fledgling institution have always had a penchant for left politics be it within electoral system or away from. It.
Arguably, the recent violence at the Jadavpur University campus is an attempt on part of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad( ABVP), stated to be the students wing of RSS to gain a foothold at this left bastion. . Strangely enough, state BJP chief and Rajya Sabha member Samik Bhattacharya has denied any connection between his party and the ABVP.
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His denial cuts little ice. In fact, Bhattacharya’s contention appears to be almost identical with a section of CPI(M) leadership who stated SFI and DYFI, the students and youth wing of the Marxist outfit had nothing to do with the party whose writ ran the state for 34 years..
The incident at the sprawling Jadavpur University campus last week found support at even the state governmental level. An emphatic nod for the nocturnal flare-up came from state panchayat minister, Dilip Ghosh who said student activists considered the university premises to be “an island which is not a part of the nation and where anti-national slogans are loudly voiced”.
Continuing to underscore his viewpoint, Ghosh a leader not in the habit of mincing his words said there are shake-ups once a change occurs. Obviously, the panchayat minister was referring to the post election change of power which ushered in a saffron tide sweeping away even a leader of the stature of Mamata Banerjee..
But there are dissenting voices. State finance minister Swapan Dasgupta, inarguably an erudite man condemned the damage to the symbol to the university designed by none other than eminent artist Nandalal Bose. The incident of vandalising a symbol designed by Bose found no place in the mindset of Ghosh, a veteran RSS activist
But Dasgupta’s stand found support from his Cabinet colleague, state urban development minister, Agnimitra Paul. Voicing her condemnation in no uncertain terms, she said it does not matter whether who barged into the JU campus in the dead of night last week and their intention and action is a condemnable matter even if they belonged to her own party
Strangely enough, it took more than a day and 13 hours for the JU vice-chancellor, Chiranjib Bhattacharjee to lodge a police complaint. The verdict is split whether the university authorities were weighing their options in the first ever saffron regime in West Bengal as the youth who had stormed into the campus in the wee hours of the night made no secret of their affinity for the BJP ideology or screwing up courage to lodge a complaint against some ABVP activists.
But in sum, the countenance of 70 year old Jadavpur University stood soiled after what ABVP activists described as “surgical strike” against “cockroaches”. The attack was directed against left students organisations, the police reaction has been till date feeble given there are no arrests.
State BJP leaders have provided active statements. The trouble can be traced to some students of engineering and technology faculties to form a union, a move which was opposed by the ABVP.
The deterioration of education standards in West Bengal is often laid at the door of student politics and campus violence emanating from it. A curb on students union has been suggested from some quarters.
It would only lead to clamping on the legitimate grievances of students. The agitation of students must not be allowed to be hijacked by political foot soldiers.
This is not be set aside as an utopian solution. Students activism must be reimagined by students, universities and political parties.
But as for Jadavpur University, the result of the joust between ABVP and the left students unions hangs in balance. It remains to be seen whether it is tilted by the support of the powers that be in the state.
Jadavpur University is a centre of academic excellence. But regrettably for quite some time now it will be in the news for the wrong reasons-campus conflict.
