Tensions rise at Jadavpur University after midnight clash between Left students, ABVP

KOLKATA: Tensions mounted at Jadavpur University in Kolkata after a nightlong clash between the Left-leaning students and the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) students.

Key points

• Abhinav Das, a philosophy student and member of the Revolutionary Students' Front (RSF), remarked, "The ABVP and Nationalist Students' Front (NSF) brought several outsiders to the FETSU meeting."
• The ABVP accused Left-leaning SFI, Democratic Students Organisation (DSO), and Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) for orchestrating a planned attack in the guise of a general session.
• BJP MLA Sharbari Mukherjee from Jadavpur constituency visited KPC Medical College to check on the injured students undergoing treatment.
• A number of students belonging to both camps were admitted to the nearby KPC Medical College Hospital sustaining injuries.
• The agitating ABVP supporters alleged that the Left student union called the session at a time when there was no elected union in the university campus.

For context, a number of students belonging to both camps were admitted to the nearby KPC Medical College Hospital sustaining injuries.

Denying the involvement of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), in the clash, Srijan Bhattacharya, all India secretary of the CPI-M-backed students' union, alleged that the ABVP men created trouble by sponsoring attacks on students when the governing body session was held on Wednesday night.

No SFI students were there during the incident, Srijan informed the media.

Notably, the trouble began on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday when the governing body gathering called by the Left-backed student unions and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students Union (FETSU) was held inside the campus.

ABVP men protested against the session being held inside the campus and secured involved in a clash with the Left students.

Notably, the agitating ABVP supporters alleged that the Left student union called the session at a time when there was no elected union in the university campus.

They raised questions saying, "How did they hold the meeting when there is no notification issued by the state government for holding students' union elections?"

Videos circulating on WhatsApp indicated a group of men allegedly belonging to the ABVP trying to break into locked facilities while raising slogans, sources stated.

For context, a number of individuals from both sides sustained injuries in the altercation. Local police had to rush to the spot to prevent the situation from escalating further.

For context, the ABVP accused Left-leaning SFI, Democratic Students Organisation (DSO), and Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) for orchestrating a planned attack in the guise of a general session. While, DSO members alleged that ABVP brought outsiders into the campus and resorted to vandalism.

Shubhabrata Adhikari, a member of the ABVP's central working committee, remarked to journalists that FIRs are being lodged against a number of individuals and some members of the group are protesting at Jadavpur Police Station.

Fires were set outside the building as well as at other locations throughout the campus. Along with the assaults, there were allegations of attempted mob violence and stone-pelting.

After the events, ABVP unveiled a protest scheduled at 11 am on Thursday. Protesting the events of Wednesday, Biswajit Roy, Secretary of the DSO State Committee, remarked, "Sections of the ABVP and RSS wreaked havoc in an attempt to seize the campus, tearing down flags, setting fires, and hurling abuse."

Srijan has demanded that the state administration hold students' union elections as shortly as feasible.

Citing the incident of damaging the statue of Lenin at Jadavpur allegedly by ABVP supporters lately, the SFI national general secretary alleged the ABVP students were trying to create an environment of trouble inside the university campus but the students won't be trapped by their strategy.

Taken together, the developments around tensions rise at Jadavpur University after midnight clash between Left students, ABVP point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.