Opposition, Adhikari lock horns on JU face-off in West Bengal

The Bengal Opposition parties have strongly criticised Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for “taking sides” and not taking action against the ABVP students for vandalism and assault on the students during a midnight raid inside the elite Jadavpur University campus last week.

Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh said that “if the Chief Minister thinks that the JU students and not those belonging to the ABVP were guilty, he should immediately take steps without… but if the story is different then also he should act neutrally.”

Srijan Bhattacharya, a national-level leader of SFI, the students’ arm of the CPI(M), too on Monday attacked Adhikari for “taking sides” of the ABVP goons, asking whether he would use the “anti-goonda” laws that his Government had recently enacted. The law, which was passed in the State Assembly, was, however, awaiting the presidential assent.

Bhattacharya also objected to the composition of the enquiry committee, saying the Chairman of the committee had a controversial past.

Clashes took place between two groups both inside and outside the campus on last Wednesday and Thursday, leaving several persons injured. Despite CCTV footage, the police have till Sunday, failed to arrest anyone.

The Chief Minister, however, remained firm on his stance, saying he would “not allow any kind of anti-national activities inside the campus.”

Accusing the “anti-national elements: inside the campus for the recent clashes inside the University, he said he would not allow anything inside the campus that was against“Rastrabad” (nationalism).

“A lot of anti-national; activities are going on inside the campus… but we will not allow this… we will ensure that nationalism thrives both inside and outside Jadavpur (campus),” Adhikari said warning those “who are crying for the JU on social media” saying “my policy is clear, if you want to live in this State you will have to follow Rashtrawaad (nationalism) and sing Vande Mataram.”

Reacting sharply to Adhikari’s comments, senior CPI(M) leader and former MP Sujan Chakrabarty said, “a Chief Minister’s is expected to take responsibility of his words… which means he should speak a minimum of truth… is at least that is visible to naked eyes… here he is not only allowing goons to roam free but blaming the innocent students who were inside the campus during the midnight and were attacked… what were the outsiders doing and what the BJP MLA of a neighoburing constituency was doing near JU before or after the attack.”