KOLKATA: Students and faculty members at Jadavpur University (JU) pointed fingers at their ‘own’ who helped ‘outsiders’ to enter the campus and unleash violence and vandalism in the early hours of Thursday and demanded to bring them under the investigation net.CCTV footage of JU gate number 4 revealed that the right-wing mob encountered no resistance while entering, which was already open, around 12.37 am on Thursday.The footage also captured former JU vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau entering through a side gate around the same time and standing near gate 4 as the mob vandalised the premises. Sau, an active member of an RSS-backed teachers’ organisation, drove to his quarters after the crowd dispersed around 1.20am.A picture of Sau chatting with ABVP central working committee member Subhabrata Adhikary at gate 4 around 1.07am had gone viral on social media. Students also pointed out that they identified a research scholar and current students in the mob.The attackers tore and burnt left-wing students’ groups’ flags and posters, tried to erase graffiti near PG Science building, burnt a banner outside Aurobindo Bhavan, the main administrative building, and targeted students taking shelter on the campus.
Violence signs still visible
Subsequently, they tried to break open the gates of the Main Hostel near Jadavpur Police Station.English department student Udita Bedajna said, “We were certain about the involvement of insiders in this attack so we urged authorities to identify the insiders who assisted the outsiders. The footage and videos now show that we were not wrong. Our demand to the authority is that everyone, be it, former VC, student, scholar, security personnel, should be under the investigation purview.”Bedjana further said,” All those who have been identified have a distinct political identity, meaning they belong to a particular set of organisations. So not just the individuals but the organisations with which they are affiliated must also be held accountable.”Sau said, “Just because I was seen in the CCTV does not indicate that I was part of the vandalism. An attempt is being made to spread a false narrative against me to incite a section of the students. Would the same thing be said if a CPM professor had been there?” I also went to the police station with MLA Sarbari Mukherjee. After that, I entered the campus through gate 4, where several officers were present.”He claimed he told the cops to get additional personnel to manage any potential flare-up as he was concerned.Adhikary said, “I have no involvement with the mob or any kind of vandalism. After hearing the situation, I went to ensure that no untoward incident happens.”A JU research scholar, who is a member of ABVP and was visible on the campus while the outsiders were rampaging the campus and erasing Sharjeel Imam’s graffiti, clarified that he was not part of the mob.JUTA president Partha Pratim Ray said, “If the allegations against Sau are true then it is unfortunate. He should be brought under the purview of the investigation, appropriate action should be taken, and it must be ensured that he cannot influence the probe.”International Relations student Tirtharaj Bardhan said, “We want an impartial probe from cops as well as university authorities.”
