The Calcutta High Court has issued a directive to Jadavpur University prohibiting the entry of political leaders and the organization of political meetings and processions for the time being.
Furthermore, the court has mandated that university officials submit an affidavit within three weeks detailing the measures implemented to safeguard the university’s environment.
This ruling stems from a public interest litigation brought to the attention of a division bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee Dutta. The petition emphasized the need for enhanced security, including the installation of CCTV cameras and police presence on campus, as well as restrictions on events both inside and outside the university.
Recently, a significant student protest occurred at Jadavpur University during the visit of the State Education Minister, where some students reportedly surrounded and physically confronted him, leading to vandalism of the minister’s car.
Legal representative Biswaroop Bhattacharya underlined the urgent need for improved security following the incident involving the minister.
When questioned about the ongoing issues at the university, the legal counsel for Jadavpur University, Riju Ghoshal, mentioned that the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar had opted to close Gate-5 and deployed security personnel. However, the Chief Justice noted that this might not effectively address the problem, as outsiders, including former students, continue to access the campus.
The Chief Justice recommended that the university consider utilizing state police officers instead of private security firms to bolster safety measures. This directive aims to rectify security concerns and foster a safe atmosphere on campus.
Legal representative Kalyan Banerjee pointed out longstanding issues at Jadavpur University, including the removal of CCTV systems that had been installed in 2014. In response, the university’s counsel stated that a request for funding to improve security measures had been sent to the Chief Secretary in January.
In related news, Bhaskar Gupta has been relieved from his position as the acting Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur University. Although his tenure as a professor was scheduled to end on March 31, a notification from Raj Bhavan on March 27 declared the early termination of his vice-chancellor role, authorized by the Chancellor of the university and Governor CV Anand Bose.
