1 week ago
ABVP Raids Jadavpur University in Clash With Left Students
A group linked to the ABVP went to Jadavpur University twice.
They said they wanted to remove what they called Left-wing influence from the campus.
Left student groups resisted them.
During the first clash, burning cloth balls and sticks were thrown near students sheltering inside a building.
During the second incident, people outside threw eggs, shoes and sticks at the locked gate.
The university emblem at the gate was damaged.
Police and security guards eventually separated the groups and removed outsiders from the campus.
The university vice-chancellor condemned the violence and ordered an investigation.
ABVP supporters raided Jadavpur University twice, describing the actions as a “surgical strike” and “Ram Navami puja.”
Left student groups resisted the raids, including an overnight confrontation involving burning cloth balls, sticks and other objects.
During the afternoon incident, attackers hurled eggs, shoes and sticks and damaged the university emblem at the main gate.
Police and university security guards dispersed the attackers, while the vice-chancellor condemned the assault and announced an inquiry but did not file an FIR.
The dispute began over a Left student meeting that police said was attempting to form an engineering and technology faculty union unilaterally.
- Who
- ABVP supporters, Left student groups, university officials, police and Jadavpur MLA Sarbori Mukherjee were involved.
- What
- ABVP supporters attempted two campus raids, leading to clashes, property damage and police intervention.
- Where
- Jadavpur University in Kolkata, including the main gate and Aurobindo Bhavan.
- When
- The first confrontation began shortly after 1am on Thursday; an afternoon march and attempted raid followed later that day.
- Why
- The immediate dispute followed a Left student meeting that police said was attempting to form an engineering and technology faculty union unilaterally; ABVP leaders also said they wanted to end Left and ultra-Left dominance on campus.
ABVP and BJP-aligned position
Left student and university-side position
Purpose of the action
ABVP and BJP-aligned position
ABVP central working committee member Subhabrata Adhikari called the operation a “surgical strike” and “Ram Navami puja” intended to neutralise what he called “dimaagi Naxals” and end Left and ultra-Left dominance.
Left student and university-side position
Left student groups said they were attacked for questioning the education system and seeking reforms, and described the assault as an attempt to intimidate them.
Account of the overnight clash
ABVP and BJP-aligned position
ABVP supporters said they were responding to an attack on them and marched to the university to protest the previous night’s events.
Left student and university-side position
A student said more than 100 BJP and ABVP supporters chased students, forcing them to shelter inside Aurobindo Bhavan, where burning objects were allegedly thrown at them.
Role of political actors
ABVP and BJP-aligned position
Jadavpur MLA Sarbori Mukherjee arrived to support the raiders and described them as the real victims; state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya later said the people outside the university were not connected to the BJP.
Left student and university-side position
Students and others alleged that the police response was too weak to stop the march, while the vice-chancellor condemned the assault and ordered an inquiry.
Key facts
- Main groups
- Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad supporters and Left student groups
- University
- Jadavpur University
- First confrontation
- Began around 1am on Thursday
- Afternoon march
- Started from Gol Park around 1:30pm
- Damage reported
- The university emblem at Gate 4 was damaged, and posters and festoons were torn and burned
- Police action
- Police entered the campus, removed outsiders and deployed forces outside the gates
- University response
- Vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee condemned the assault and announced a probe committee
- FIR status
- The vice-chancellor did not lodge an FIR
Quotes
Subhabrata Adhikari
ABVP central working committee member
“In his Independence Day address, the Prime Minister spoke about dimaagi Naxals. The task of neutralising those Naxals has begun here at JU. We have launched a surgical strike at JU just the way the home minister launched a strike in Chhattisgarh to end the Maoist threat.”
telegraphindia.com
“If the police do not get those students (inside to) surrender, a tandab leela will unfold through the night.”
telegraphindia.com
Unnamed ABVP supporter
Chest‑thumping ABVP supporter present at midnight raid
“If the JU students are cockroaches, we are lizards. We will devour them.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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