Union Minister and Others Heckled by Students at Jadavpur University, Governor Comes to Rescue

On Thursday evening when Union Minister Babul Supriyo, Agnimitra Paul and other BJP leaders went to the Jadavpur University to attend a programme organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of BJP, they were targeted by students backed by the Left student wing SFI. After more than an hour inside the campus, the Minister was finally rescued by the Governor of West Bengal Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had to rush to the spot because of the deteriorating situation. 

The matter also triggered a huge political controversy. As the Governor’s office released a statement saying the incident, “very serious reflection on the law and order of the state and on the conduct of the law enforcing agencies”. The ruling party Trinamool Congress, on the contrary, has said that the Governor had gone to the campus without giving the state authorities a chance to handle the situation.

On his way to the campus, Union Minister Babul Supriyo was shown black flags by slogan-shouting students of the CPIM’s Students Federation of India. He also alleged that he was manhandled, while on his way out. He said, “I did not come here to do any kind of politics. But I am very much saddened by the behaviour of some of the students of the university, the way they have heckled me. They pulled me by my hair and pushed me”.

Supriyo also said that the protesting students tried to provoke him by ‘openly calling themselves Naxals’. The students blocked him, while he was on his way to the car, refusing to let him leave the venue and holding him for nearly one hour.

Agnimitra Paul, BJP leader and Fashion designer who was also there to as a speaker spoke exclusively to Scrabbl and said, “I was invited three weeks back by ABVP students for the special event, they wanted me to speak on Article 370, when I was entering the venue more than 1000 students came shouting at me”.

She also added, “they come to overpower me, come over me, and tried to heckle me, they tore my saree, they abused, they touched me, they molested me and 10 boys and girls of ABVP were trying to protect me but they were not enough, I was completely out of breath, I am shocked at the incident”.

Meanwhile, Raj Bhawan in a statement said, “The Governor takes the incident very seriously as it involves unlawful detention of a Union minister and this is a very serious reflection on the law and order of the state and the conduct of the law enforcing agencies”.

Meanwhile, state education minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee said, “Neither TMCP nor the police are involved in the incident. It is absolutely with BJP and Left union students versus BJP leader”. 

He also added in a statement that Babul Supriyo had gone there without informing the state government and though the police were waiting outside the university, they were unable to enter, as there was no communication from the Vice-Chancellor of the University to intervene.

Partha Chatterjee in his statement also said, “Hon’ble Governor went there without taking the State Government into confidence. On his way, he rang up the CM. The CM has requested him to give the government some time to solve the issue peacefully. But instead of taking the government into confidence, the Governor went there to help BJP leaders”.

The State education minister also cited the incident outside the Vidyasagar College earlier this year during a rally of the then BJP chief Amit Shah, when a statue of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, the 19th century social reformer was vandalized. Agnimitra Paul also raised the issue of intolerance saying, they talk about BJP’s intolerance, but the gruesome and shameful incident once again proved who are intolerant in this country.