Won’t file FIR on students: Jadavpur University V-C

Jadavpur University vice-chancellor Suranjan Das on Friday met governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and informed him that he had no intention of filing an FIR against any student for raising anti-national slogans on the campus. Prof. Das also informed the governor that he would uphold the age-old tradition of the freedom of expression and freedom of speech in the campus.

“I will not reveal my conversation with the honourable governor and chancellor of the university. All I can say is that filing an FIR against our students is not the tradition of Jadavpur University. We would rather address the issue through discussion and deliberation,” he added. Prof. Das reiterated his known stand that the objectionable slogans were raised by some outsiders whom he described as “fringe elements”.

On Tuesday evening, students of various faculties had taken out a rally at JU to protest the police crackdown on their counterparts at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar. Slogans in support of “Kashmir ki azadi” and Afzul Guru were raised during the rally. This sparked a major controversy. The Union home ministry sought a detailed report on the incident. A day later, even the governor sought a report from the JU V-C. “The governor has sought a report. On Monday, we will hold an executive council meeting and then prepare a report,” he said.

Prof. Das elaborated that just because a group of fringe elements chanted some unfortunate slogans, it did not mean that the entire university should be maligned.

He claimed that debates and discussions were integral part of democracy. “ As long as I am in this position, I will safeguard the autonomy of the university and the democratic rights of the students. At the same time, I will also make them understand that democratic rights should be enjoyed within the parameters of the Constitution of the country,” he said.

The JU VC also informed the governor that he would organise a convention where representatives of all teachers, students and other stakeholders of the institution would be invited.

Interestingly, while the vice-chancellor gave a clean chit to his students and ruled out any action against them, BJP leader Rahul Sinha also met the governor and urged him to order an NIA probe into the JU incident.

“The university has been taken over by anti-national elements who must not be spared because they may have support from some foreign terror groups,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Left parties decided to organise a rally in the city on Sunday to protest the JNU incident. The decision was taken in a meeting at Alimuddin Street which was attended by 13 Left parties.

Protesting against the Centre’s handling of the JNU row, the Left Front has called for a rally in Kolkata on February 21. “The protest march will be held on the International Mother Language Day. The rally will start at 12 noon from Bhasha Udyan and terminate at Mahajati Sadan,” Left Front chairman Biman Bose said.