Jadavpur University incident: Kolkata Police question SFI leader; Trinamool leaders continue to threaten

Members of the TMC teacher cell take out a protest rally over the Jadavpur University incident, in Kolkata. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

The controversy over the face-off between students of Jadavpur University and West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu continues to rage on with the Kolkata Police on Saturday (March 8, 2025) questioning a senior leader of Students Federation of India (SFI).

SFI leader Srijan Bhattacharya appeared at Jadavpur Police Station on Saturday evening (March 8, 2025). “Those who were present at the spot when the Minister’s vehicle ran over students have not been questioned. I have released all the videos and photos which I have before the media, and will share the same with the police,” the SFI leader said.

Meanwhile, the supporters of the SFI leader blocked roads in various parts of the city and said they will continue to do so till the time the SFI leader walks out of the police station. SFI is the student wing of Communist Party of India (Marxist).

Jadavpur University students threaten complete shutdown if demands are not heard by March 10

Days after the Kolkata Police registered an FIR against the Education Minister, his driver and Jadavpur University professor Om Prakash Mishra at the instructions of Calcutta High Court, police visited the residence of the academician on Saturday (March 8, 2025).

“What happened at Jadavpur University has brought shame to West Bengal. I was the one who was attacked but did not lodge any complaint against the students,” Prof. Mishra said. The FIR lodged against the Minister, his driver and the professor who is associated with the university teachers wing of the ruling party was on the basis of statement of student Indranuj Roy, who had sustained injuries in connection with the face-off on March 1. The 22-year-old student had sustained 14 stitches near his eye.

Jadavpur University on the boil after State Education Minister’s vehicle is attacked

In a related development, Jadavpur Lok Sabha MP Sayoni Ghosh also said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been very tolerant as far as the issue of Jadavpur University is concerned. “It is all about an instruction from the Chief Minister. Whenever she wants to control the situation, she will,” Ms. Ghosh said without elaborating further.

Prior to this, several leaders of Trinamool Congress have threatened the students of Jadavpur University and said that they are waiting for the “instructions” from the Chief Minister.

State Minister Aroop Biswas, MLA Madan Mitra, and MP Saugata Roy have all spoken about laying siege at the premier State university in minutes if the party chairperson gives her nod.

During the day, a group of students also met Acting Vice- Chancellor of Jadavpur University Bhaskar Ghosh, who has been admitted to hospital. Prof. Ghosh has been unavailable at the university since the controversy erupted on March 1. The students have called for an indefinite siege in front of the administrative complex of the university from March 10.

Eight years since Bengal’s last student union election; SFI amps up demand for fair polls

The teachers of the university, however, have called upon protesting students to reconsider their decision to boycott classes and semester exams. Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA), however, extended support to the demands of students or immediate withdrawal of ‘false, fabricated cases’ filed by police. “There should be mutual respect and cordial relations between student-teachers, keeping in mind the long-standing traditions of the higher educational institution,” the statement said.