Suvendu Warns Jadavpur Students Over ‘Azaadi’ Chants, Says He Knows How to Deal With It

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday issued a strong warning to students of Kolkata’s Jadavpur University, saying his government would not allow the campus to become a centre for Maoist sympathisers, pro-Palestine groups or those supporting demands for Kashmir’s independence.

Adhikari was speaking outside the university, where the BJP had organised a mass signing of Vande Mataram on Raksha Bandhan. “You keep saying azaadi. What azaadi are you looking for? Azaadi to consume heroine and ganja? You are the tukre tukre gang,” he said.

Jadavpur University remained closed on Friday due to the Raksha Bandhan holiday, with all six gates locked during the BJP event.

ADHIKARI QUESTIONS JADAVPUR PROTESTS

The Chief Minister also questioned students over what he described as selective protests against military action.

“You don’t express grief or hold rallies when 45 CRPF jawans are killed by terrorists in Awantipora and tourists belonging to a specific religion are gunned down at Pahalgam. But anti-war rallies are held when Operation Sindoor is carried out against Pakistan,” he said.

Adhikari said Jadavpur University, as a centre of excellence, should be treated with respect.

His remarks came days after a confrontation on campus on August 20, when a wooden emblem installed at one of the university gates was damaged.

University professors said the emblem was damaged after ABVP members allegedly attempted to enter the campus following a clash between ABVP activists and supporters of Left-backed student organisations.

The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Democratic Students Organisation (AIDSO) alleged that ABVP members had brought outsiders onto the campus. The university subsequently filed a police complaint, though no arrests have been reported so far.

“I know the disease. I also know the medicine,” Adhikari said.

‘JADAVPUR IS LEFT’

Addressing ABVP workers, Adhikari invoked Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi and Osmania University in Hyderabad, claiming they had been “cured” of similar political activity.

“I have a message for ABVP workers across India. You have cured Delhi’s JNU and Hyderabad’s Osmania University. Jadavpur is left. This, too, will be done. A storm of nationalism has started. It is unstoppable,” he said.

Adhikari also invoked Maoist commander Koteswar Rao, known as Kishenji, who had established a base in western Bengal during the Left Front government and was later killed in a police operation.

He criticised slogans calling for Kashmir’s independence and said “Free Palestine” slogans should instead be replaced with “Free PoK”. He also referred to a poster allegedly displayed at an arts department hostel that read “Red Salute Kishenji”.

ABVP ACCUSES JUTA OFFICE-BEARERS

The August 20 incident has also triggered allegations against the Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA). The ABVP accused senior JUTA office-bearers of planning the alleged damage to the university emblem and filed a police complaint.

Adhikari said the state higher education department was monitoring developments at the university and warned that action could follow.

“The state higher education department is watching. I am also watching,” he said.

He further alleged that drug-related activity was taking place on campus and said surveillance measures could be used to identify those allegedly involved.

The Chief Minister also accused the CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress of protecting Maoist elements at Jadavpur University for political advantage. He claimed Maoist groups had supported anti-BJP and anti-Modi campaigns during elections.

PROFESSOR REJECTS ADHIKARI’S CLAIMS

Adhikari also compared the situation at Jadavpur University with a recent protest in Delhi over alleged NEET question-paper leaks. He claimed students at Jadavpur were raising political and Maoist slogans instead of focusing on issues such as examinations and employment.

He alleged that around 800 students from other states studying at the university had been forced to participate in rallies.

Nandini Mukherjee, a computer science professor at Jadavpur University and a former CPI(M) candidate who contested against Mamata Banerjee in the 2011 Assembly election, rejected Adhikari’s allegations.

Mukherjee disputed the portrayal of Jadavpur University as a Maoist stronghold and pushed back against the Chief Minister’s claims regarding political activity on the campus.