Protests Continue At Jadavpur University As Students Demand Minister Bratya Basu’s Resignation Over Campus Clash
Protests at Jadavpur University continued for a second day as students demanded the resignation of Education Minister Bratya Basu over a campus clash.
Protests at Jadavpur University entered their second day on Tuesday, as students continued to demand the resignation of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu and the withdrawal of police complaints against them following an alleged assault on campus.
In a conciliatory move, Minister Basu personally contacted the family of injured student Indranuj Roy, expressing regret over the incident.
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“The education minister called me and conveyed his remorse. He wished Indranuj a speedy recovery and said he and his wife are deeply distressed. He told me Indranuj is like his son," said Amit Roy, the student’s father.
The protests began after violence on March 1, when two students, including Indranuj, were injured after a car in Basu’s convoy allegedly brushed past them amid a scuffle. Left-leaning students had been attempting to block the minister from leaving campus, seeking discussions over long-pending student union elections.
Basu sustained injuries as well, after protesters allegedly damaged his car’s windshield.
After a General Body meeting on Monday night, students issued a 24-hour deadline for Vice-Chancellor Bhaskar Gupta to return to campus and address their demands, warning of intensified protests if he failed to comply.
Among the key demands are full medical coverage for the injured students and the filing of a police complaint against the minister.
The vice-chancellor, however, has not yet returned, with sources citing health concerns, including fluctuating blood pressure. Gupta had visited the injured students at the hospital on Saturday but faced protests, during which his shirt was reportedly torn, worsening his condition.
Despite the turmoil, semester examinations continued in several departments, while some others suspended classes.
Multiple student organisations joined the agitation. Ultra-left groups, including the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), staged protests on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), held separate demonstrations after leading a statewide student strike on Monday.
Tensions escalated further as clashes broke out between SFI activists and members of the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at the campus gates, following allegations that ABVP members tore down posters supporting the strike. A security guard was injured in the altercation, and five people were detained by police.
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Meanwhile, the West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA), aligned with the TMC, alleged the attack on Minister Basu was pre-planned.
While the SFI continues to press for Basu’s resignation, accusing the Trinamool Congress’s student wing (TMCP) and ABVP of fuelling the violence, Amit Roy welcomed Basu’s apology and ruled out demanding his resignation.
“We appreciated the minister’s gesture. Elders should show tolerance when youngsters make mistakes," Roy said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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