Protests continue over JU incident; minister calls up injured students’ family to express regret

KOLKATA: Protests continued for the second consecutive day on Tuesday over alleged assaults on students of Jadavpur University, demanding resignation of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu and withdrawal of police complaints against them. Amid the unrest, Basu personally reached out to the family of injured student Indranuj Roy and expressed regret over the incident.

“The education minister called me. He is remorseful and has expressed regret. He wished for Indranuj’s speedy recovery. He said that he and his wife are deeply distressed. He also said that Indranuj is like his son,” Amit Roy, the student’s father, told reporters. The protests erupted following campus violence on March 1, when two students, including Indranuj, were injured after a car in Basu’s convoy allegedly grazed past them during a melee. The incident occurred as Left-leaning students attempted to prevent the minister from leaving the campus, demanding discussions on the conduct of student union elections which were not held for several years.

Basu himself sustained injuries when his car’s windshield was damaged during the protest. Following a General Body meeting on Monday night, students set a 24-hour deadline for Vice-Chancellor Bhaskar Gupta to return to campus and address their demands, warning of intensified protests if he fails to do so. They also insisted that the university bear the full cost of medical treatment for the injured students and that a formal police complaint be filed against Basu. Gupta, however, has not yet returned to campus. Sources said he is unwell, with fluctuating blood pressure, and has been advised to rest at home.

The vice-chancellor had visited injured students in the hospital on Saturday night but faced protests from students, during which his shirt was reportedly torn, aggravating his health complications. He said he would return to the university once he received doctor clearance. Despite the protests, some university departments continued with semester examinations, including first-year and lateral engineering courses. While some departments voluntarily suspended classes, others proceeded with scheduled tests.

JU protests

Several ultra-left student organisations, including the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), have called for protests on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), did not participate in Tuesday’s strike but organised separate demonstrations across the state. On Monday, SFI called for a statewide student strike, affecting the functioning of institutions such as Calcutta University and Presidency University in the city The All India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO) also staged protests.

The Left-TMC confrontation escalated further as violent clashes broke out between SFI activists and members of the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) at the university’s entrance. Allegations surfaced that ABVP activists tore down posters related to the SFI-led strike. A security guard was injured during the scuffle, and five individuals were detained by the police. Meanwhile, the West Bengal College and University Professors Association (WBCUPA), aligned with the TMC, held a press conference on Monday, claiming that the attack on Basu was premeditated. Basu was injured on Saturday when protesters damaged his car’s windshield.

During the chaos, one student, Indranuj Roy, was allegedly hit by a vehicle from the minister’s convoy, while another student sustained injuries after a car belonging to TMC-affiliated professor Om Prakash Mishra allegedly ran over his foot. SFI reiterated its demand for Basu’s resignation, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress’s student wing (TMCP) and ABVP of instigating violence. A senior SFI leader said protests would continue until Basu stepped down. Amid the ongoing turmoil, Amit Roy, father of the injured Indranuj, acknowledged Minister Basu’s outreach. He stated that his family appreciated the minister’s gesture and refrained from demanding his resignation, while emphasising that elders must be tolerant when youths make mistakes.