Jadavpur University Protest: A day after being heckled by Left student activists at Jadavpur University (JU), West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on Sunday claimed that the attack on him and members of a professors’ association was “orchestrated.” The Trinamool Congress (TMC) also described the incident involving activists of CPI(M) student wing Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and ultra-Left outfits as “premeditated.”
Speaking to a Bengali news channel, Basu alleged that a group of 40-50 students had vandalised his car, breaking its windscreen, which left both him and the driver injured. He claimed that Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor wanted to call in the police as the protests escalated.
“I was ready to talk to some of the students’ representatives and told them to choose their nominees, as I cannot meet 40-50 people at a time for any constructive dialogue. But they did not want to talk,” Basu said, as quoted by news agency PTI. He also accused the protesting students of climbing onto his car’s bonnet.
“As their numbers grew, they turned more aggressive. The broken glass of the car injured my driver. He panicked and started driving the vehicle after it was detained for over three hours. It was an orchestrated attack,” Basu alleged.
The minister expressed regret over a protester’s injury, stating, “I am sorry that a protesting student was injured as the tyres of my car grazed him.” However, he maintained that he had no chance to check if someone had fallen as he was being “chased by a belligerent crowd.”
“You can say I should have waited longer. If they had gheraoed me for hours, I would have shown more patience… Several members of WBCUPA were assaulted. But the injury to a young boy is sad and unfortunate. It should not have happened,” he added.
When asked whether he should have visited the injured student, Basu responded, “Yes, I could have. But have you seen how they physically attacked the VC when he went to a hospital to meet the student? I will take some initiative to talk to his father sometime later.”
Basu further claimed that he had previously invited SFI for talks over student union polls in the presence of the VC, but they had backed out. “Holding a discussion with 40 people at a crowded place on such an issue is impossible,” he remarked. He said he would discuss student union elections, including at Jadavpur University, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee soon.
The minister also criticised the student strike called by SFI on March 3, coinciding with the first day of higher secondary examinations. “The TMC has refrained from any big rally during the first half of the exam days so that students are not inconvenienced,” he said.
ALSO READ | Bengal Education Minister ‘Attacked’ By SFI Members At Jadavpur University, TMC Slams ‘Ultra-Left Elements’
‘Minister Wanted To Run Over Students’: CPI(M)’s Md Salim On Jadavpur Protest
Commenting on the incident, CPI(M) West Bengal State Secretary Md Salim called it “unprecedented” and accused the education minister of attempting to “crush” the student protest.
“The vehicle carrying the Higher Education Minister, under his instruction, sought to demolish and crush the student protest. One student is already seriously injured. Never before in Bengal could people imagine such a toxic effect of power, as exhibited by the TMC,” Salim alleged speaking to news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal: On the incident at Jadavpur University (JU) yesterday, CPI(M) West Bengal State Secretary, Md Salim says, ” What happened yesterday is unprecedented. The vehicle carrying the Higher education minister under his instruction sought to demolish and… pic.twitter.com/G4MlXIRguR
— ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2025
He further claimed that the students had merely wanted to hand over a memorandum and had already contacted the Vice-Chancellor’s office and university authorities for a tripartite discussion. Instead, he alleged,
“TMC goons attacked the students, and the minister wanted to run over the students.” Drawing a parallel with the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, he remarked, “We have seen in Lakhimpur Kheri when a BJP minister’s son similarly tried to run over the protesting farmers. TMC is just copying. It’s a copybook effect of the RSS upon the TMC.”
Bengal Police Enhances Security For Class 12 Examinees Amid SFI Strike On Monday
Meanwhile, in response to the state-wide strike called by SFI demanding Basu’s resignation, police have made extensive arrangements to ensure that Class 12 students appearing for the West Bengal board exams can reach their centres without disruption.
Additional DGP (Law and Order) Jawed Shamim stated that police officials across districts, commissionerates, and railway zones had been alerted to facilitate the smooth movement of examinees. “Monday is the first day of the state board’s Class 12 finals. Adequate police arrangements have been made to ensure that the examinees reach their examination centres and return home without any hindrance,” he said, as per PTI.
Legal action will be taken in case of any disruption, Shamim warned. “Any student facing difficulties can contact the nearest police personnel or dial 100 for assistance,” he added.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma also assured that there would be sufficient police presence in the city. “Some political organisations have planned programmes in view of the Jadavpur University incident. We will ensure that these do not obstruct students,” he said. A helpline number (9432610039) has also been activated for examinees facing difficulties.
Verma further stated that seven cases have been registered in connection with the Jadavpur University incident, two of which were initiated suo motu by the police. “One person has been arrested in connection with arson at the Siksha Bandhu office and has been remanded to police custody till March 12,” he said, adding that investigations were ongoing to identify those responsible for the violence.
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