"Governor is 100% responsible for Jadavpur University situation"; Minister statement sparks off protest, BJP MLAs stage walkout

The West Bengal Assembly erupted over protest leading to chaos over Jadavpur University student death issue after opposition BJP moved an adjournment motion. The motion was accepted by the speaker. BJP Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari demanded response from the state government as why and how UGC norms were violated by the prestigious university and if there was lack over supervision of part of the state government. Terming the incident of ragging as unacceptable, Suvendu Adhikari alleged that “Jadavpur University has turned into a den for ultra left ideology”. Suvendu Adhikari questioned as why CCTV cameras have not been installed inside the campus and if the state government should have been more vigilant.


Responding to the Opposition's charge, State Education Minister Bratya Basu blamed Governor CV Ananda Bose for the situation. “The Governor is 100 percent responsible for the situation. A VC has been appointed without consulting with the state government. UGC directives are been communicated to the university authorities but they didn’t implement”, said Bratya Basu on the floor of the Assembly.

His comments sparked off protest and BJP demanded accountability be fixed with the state government. The BJP MLAs later walked out of the assembly.


“How the state government plans to stop consumption of alcohol and other illegal substances inside the campus? JU has become hub of anti-national activities. Jadavpur Police have not taken action on the activities at the university. Some former students have been staying illegally inside the campus,” said Suvendu Adhikari after walking out, while calling the death inhuman “and against education discipline.

State Minister Bratya Basu said that a five-member team is looking into the student's death. "We met the family, we cannot bring back the boy, but we are taking steps. The Opposition leader is questioning the prevalence of contraband and alcohol at university. What is Narcotics Control Bureau doing, do they have no responsibility?" Basu asked. He further stressed on the fact that state government will indulge in surveillance and moral judgement. “Intellectual liberty doesn’t mean autocracy, it is an educational institution. The university authorities have do their job as far as installation of CCTV cameras are concerned”, he added and also lamented that “Governor believes in monologue and not dialogue”, thus appointment of VC was done unilaterally with our consulting the state.