1 day ago
KMC Whitewashes Jadavpur University Graffiti During Midnight Operation
A city government team went to Jadavpur University late at night to paint over messages and artwork on its walls.
The university had asked for help because students kept repainting the walls after earlier whitewashing.
Some of the removed writing criticized fascism and included a quote linked to Karl Marx.
A portrait of artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya was also erased.
Students said the drawings represented resistance, history, and freedom of expression.
University officials said they could not keep removing the graffiti themselves.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation said it came because the university requested assistance.
Some students and teachers said fixing roads, waterlogging, and dengue should have been a higher priority.
The police accompanied the team but did not enter the campus.
A Kolkata Municipal Corporation team entered Jadavpur University around 12:40am Wednesday to erase graffiti and artwork.
The operation followed a request from university authorities, who said they lacked resources to repaint walls repeatedly.
Removed material included a quote attributed to Karl Marx, anti-fascist slogans, and a portrait of Chittaprosad Bhattacharya.
Students and artists defended the material as political expression, resistance messaging, and tributes to artists and history.
Critics questioned the midnight operation while the KMC said it acted only after being requisitioned by the university.
- Who
- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Jadavpur University authorities, police, students, and student-art groups were involved.
- What
- A KMC team whitewashed political graffiti, a Karl Marx-attributed quote, and a portrait at Jadavpur University.
- Where
- Jadavpur University in Kolkata, including the open-air theatre, Nazrul Bhavan, and Meghnad Saha Bhavan.
- When
- The operation began around 12:40am on Wednesday, after graffiti had been removed Saturday and repainted Monday.
- Why
- University authorities requested KMC assistance, saying they lacked the resources to keep removing graffiti that students repeatedly repainted.
Students and Artists
University and Civic Authorities
Meaning of the graffiti
Students and Artists
Students and artists said the slogans and artwork expressed resistance, opposition to fascism, and engagement with political and historical ideas.
University and Civic Authorities
University and civic authorities removed the material after the university requested assistance, without publicly explaining why each item was objectionable.
Use of public resources
Students and Artists
Students and teachers argued that addressing waterlogging, broken roads, and rising dengue cases should have taken priority over erasing university graffiti.
University and Civic Authorities
The KMC said it was carrying out a requested government service and that government work continues around the clock.
Chittaprosad Bhattacharya portrait
Students and Artists
Artists and students described the portrait as a tribute to Chittaprosad Bhattacharya, who documented the Bengal famine and promoted art for people.
University and Civic Authorities
The portrait was whitewashed during the operation, while Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee declined to explain why it was removed.
Key facts
- Agency involved
- Kolkata Municipal Corporation
- Institution
- Jadavpur University
- Operation time
- Began around 12:40am and lasted about an hour
- Material removed
- Anti-fascist slogans, a Karl Marx-attributed quote, a Chittaprosad Bhattacharya portrait, and other graffiti
- University explanation
- The university said it lacked resources to repeatedly whitewash the walls.
- KMC explanation
- Commissioner Smita Pandey said the corporation acted after receiving a requisition from Jadavpur University.
- Police presence
- Police accompanied the KMC team but did not enter the campus.
Quotes
Rijupalika Mukherjee
Member of the student platform Art Against Oppression
“Porco is the main character, who is a pig in a human world. He says the line ‘better a pig than a fascist’ in the movie when he’s asked to join the nationalist air force under Mussolini’s fascist regime.”
telegraphindia.com
“At a time when there is waterlogging and broken roads during monsoon, with cases of dengue on the rise, their biggest priority is erasing graffiti from JU’s walls. This is amazing.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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