West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was surrounded by ‘protesting’ students at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University this morning for the second consecutive day, has blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the student protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the CAA.
The students reportedly surrounded the car, shouted ‘go back’ slogans, waved black flags and allegedly heckled the Governor when his convoy arrived at the university, to attend the annual convocation ceremony today.
Kolkata: Protesting students block convoy of Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as he arrived at Jadavpur University. Protestors show black flags and raise slogans against the Governor. pic.twitter.com/OWKkgLFFaT
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2019
Denouncing the student action, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar tweeted, “I am shocked and surprised how the university allow this situation and cannot control it. It’s a total collapse of the system.”
“At Jadavpur University so that the students may get their degrees and enjoy the fruits of their labour and contribute to society. Unfortunately, the way to the venue in the University is blocked. Unwholesome. No affirmative role by concerned insight. Worrisome situation.”
“The number of those obstructing is only around fifty. System being held hostage and those enjoined with the task are oblivious of their obligations. A collapse that can only lead to unwholesome consequences. Rule of law is nowhere in sight. As constitutional head concerned.” Dhankhar said.
At Jadavpur University so that the students may get their degrees and enjoy the fruits of their labour and contribute to society. Unfortunately the way to the venue in the University is blocked. Unwholesome. No affirmative role by concerned in sight. Worrisome situation.
— Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) December 24, 2019
The Governor, who is Chancellor of Jadavpur University, was invited to the annual convocation and participate in the formalities. As per the programme of the convocation published by the university, the Chancellor was to declare the annual convocation open, administer the exhortation to the recipients of degrees and then authorise the Vice-Chancellor to award the degrees and medals.
“A painful scenario that the Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor is oblivious deliberately of his obligations and looking for alibis. He is presiding total collapse of rule of law. Ruinous state of affairs,” the Governor wrote in another tweet.
A painful scenario that the Jadavpur University Vice Chancellor is oblivious deliberately of his obligations and looking for alibis. He is presiding total collapse of rule of law. Ruinous state of affairs.
— Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) December 24, 2019
Calling the entire fiasco orchestrated, the Governor raised concerns, saying that the management does not realise the damages it’s causing to the system: “I am amazed that the Vice-Chancellor is in passive mode and silent spectator to this unseemly spectacle that augurs painful sliding of our system. This action is orchestrated by the powers that be not knowing the damage it causes in short and long run on out education.
I am amazed that the Vice Chancellor is in passive mode and silent spectator to this unseemly spectacle that augurs painful sliding of our system. This action is orchestrated by the powers that be not knowing the damage it causes in short and long run on out education.
— Jagdeep Dhankhar (@jdhankhar1) December 24, 2019
As he was unable to enter the premises and the convocation had already started without him, the governor left the campus. “In utter helplessness as of now I am leaving the Jadavpur University campus,” he tweeted.
Yesterday also, hundreds of students of the CPI(M)-backed SFI, Arts Faculty Students Union (AFSU), AISA and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students Union (FETSU), who were ‘protesting’ the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and Dhankar’s public statements in support of the act, were waiting near Aurobindo Bhavan, the administrative block that also houses the Vice Chancellor’s office and the moment the Governor’s convoy drove up, they surrounded it.
It was only after a considerable struggle against a sea of students that Dhankar, who was there to attend a meeting of university’s top officials, managed to enter the building.
The Governor had offered to take questions on Monday. When the students questioned him on police action at the Jamia Millia Islamia campus in Delhi, Dhankhar said he is the governor of West Bengal and can answer queries about this state only. The students booed him and heckled him as he left.
This is, however, not the first time when the communist and Trinamool student activists at Jadavpur University have resorted to such hooliganism. In September this year, union minister Babul Supriyo was also kept captive at the campus for over five hours by the pre-planned and coordinated efforts of left-wing students and activists when the minister had gone there to perform at a fresher’s welcome function organised by ABVP. He was heckled, pushed by pro-Naxal activists at Jadavpur University, preventing him from entering the campus
Fashion designer and BJP leader Agnimitra Paul, who was accompanying the union minister, was also on the receiving end of hooliganism by pro-Naxal activists. She was manhandled, her saree was torn by the hooligans.
The Governor who had then rushed to the university to rescue the union minister was also stuck in the campus for over an hour after the activists sat on the ground, blocking their way.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university Suranjan Das had then too refused to call the police after Babul Supriyo asked him to do so after he was held up for hours. The minister had then slammed the VC for failing to control the situation, saying that he is a leftist.
