Kolkata, Sep 3 (PTI) Ruling BJP MLA Sarbari Mukherjee on Thursday called for renaming Jadavpur University after freedom fighter turned philosopher Sri Aurobindo, while the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Rahul Sinha asserted that Naxalism and Maoism will be “erased” from the renowned institute.
The two leaders were addressing a ‘Nationalist Convention’ at the Triguna Sen Auditorium inside the university campus. The programme was organised by a committee named after Haripada Bharati, a professor who was the first president of the BJP’s West Bengal unit.
Mukherjee said that, if required, a mass petition will be given to the state governor, who is the ex-officio chancellor of the university, the chief minister and the Higher Education Minister seeking a change of name of the institution.
“Many nationalist people are of the opinion that Jadavpur University should be renamed after Sri Aurobindo,” said Mukherjee, the MLA of Jadavpur.
Aurobindo Ghosh, who played a significant role in the freedom movement before becoming a spiritual philosopher, was the first principal of the Bengal National College in 1906, and the institute later became Jadavpur University in 1955.
Claiming that anti-India slogans are being raised inside the varsity’s main campus in south Kolkata, she said, “Every effort is being made and will continue to be made to put an end to such activities.” Sinha, a former state president of BJP, urged “some wayward students” of the university to change their ways, vowing to end any support for anti-India elements at the educational institution.
“We will ensure that Vande Mataram is sung in Jadavpur University,” Sinha said at the programme.
In the backdrop of the clashes between members of the ABVP and Left-leaning student bodies in the university last month, Sinha said, “We are not in favour of any attack on anyone; we will not attack anyone; but insult to the motherland will not be tolerated.” The BJP leader claimed that Maoist and Naxal elements from outside are forcing the students into taking an anti-India stance.
Sinha accused Maoist leaders of being involved in ragging of students.
“Some teachers of the university are encouraging anti-India forces… No tukde tukde slogan will be allowed inside the campus,” the BJP leader said.
The BJP MP claimed that there is no opposition left in West Bengal following the BJP’s victory in the assembly elections.
“There is no player left; only a vast desert is visible in front of us,” he said at the ‘Nationalist Convention’ organised days after a student unrest at the university.
A general meeting of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students’ Union (FETSU) on August 19 evening led to a clash between members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and Left-leaning student groups at the university here early on August 20, leaving several students injured. Both sides accused each other of bringing outsiders into the campus.
In a related incident on August 20 afternoon, both SFI and ABVP supporters scuffled with the police on Thursday afternoon in a bid to enter the campus from two ends of the same road while the men in uniform struggled to keep them at bay. During the melee, the university’s emblem, designed by legendary artist Nandalal Bose, was pulled down from gate number 4.
A week later, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addressed a programme outside the Jadavpur University campus where ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung by 10,000 people.
Adhikari had then said the initiative was intended to strengthen the spirit of nationalism and asserted that it would be established both inside and outside the university. PTI AMR NN
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