Jadavpur University VC Allegedly Heckled, Manhandled by Students

The students were reportedly agitating over the issue of holding students union elections in the varsity.

The Jadavpur University campus. (Photo Courtesy: Jadavpur University)

Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur University Prof Suranjan Das on Tuesday, 19 February, claimed that he was heckled and manhandled by a section of students agitating over the issue of holding students union elections in the varsity.

Das told PTI he was heckled and manhandled by a group of students as he was trying to board his vehicle after attending the executive council meeting of the university.

“I feel very insulted. This had never happened to me in the past. I am now on way to hospital. I feel shaken over the developments. The students just blocked my path and turned aggressive even as I was trying to say that I am ready to speak to them but in a proper manner,” Das said.

Debraj Debnath of Arts Faculty Students' Union claimed the VC's security guards tried to physically remove their members, including girls, as they tried to speak to him. He claimed that four-five of their members were injured.

“We have no idea if the VC got hurt in the melee,” Debnath said.

He said AFSU and SFI members wanted to know if the EC meeting took up the "inordinate delay" in holding students union election which was put off for more than a year despite the VC's assurance last January that the EC will write to the Education minister to facilitate students' union elections in the university."

“He sat over the issue despite meeting the minister several times in the past. And when we confronted him he tried to run away,” Debnath said.

Debnath said AFSU and SFI members demanding immediate steps to hold the elections are staging an indefinite sit-in from Tuesday before Gandhi Bhavan in the campus.

Condemning the students' action, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said:

“This is deplorable. The students should have aired their demands in a democratic manner.”