Anger continues to brew at the Jadavpur University in south Kolkata over the use of force by the police to end an overnight siege. Students brought out a huge rally on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor and other authorities.
Not only the students of the University but also from other colleges and members of the civil society participated in the rally in support of the students. That the outrage of the students had landed the University authorities in a tight spot was evident as the University’s interim Vice-Chancellor Abhijit Chakrabarti gave hints that he is going on leave. However, despite the rage gripping academic circles, Education Minister Partha Chatterjee seemed to take the side of the University authorities.
“The students should behave like students,” Mr Chatterjee said, adding that under no condition “gherao” of the Vice-Chancellor and members of executive committee can be supported. Unrest at the University started late on Tuesday evening with the students demanding that the internal complaint committee set up to probe sexual harassment of a second year student should include a representative from outside the University. The students laid siege to the university administrative building main gate and declared that the agitation will continue for an indefinite period.
At about 2 a.m. the police personnel, both in uniform and in plain clothes, attacked the students, dragged them away from the main gate and later rescued the Vice-Chancellor. The students alleged that they were beaten up and the police and those present at the spot molested female students. Thirty five students were arrested by the police and taken to Lalbajar Police headquarters and released later.
V-C’s version
“I would have died had the police not come,” Prof Chakrabarti told journalists, admitting that he sought intervention from the police. Video footage of students being dragged by policemen and beaten up went viral on social networking site fuelling more anger among the students and people at large. Scores of students were injured in the incident
