Week after students heckle Babul Supriyo, Jadavpur University calls upon 'stakeholders' to ensure free speech on campus

Kolkata: Nearly a week after Union minister Babul Supriyo was heckled at Jadavpur University by Left-leaning students, the varsity authorities on Wednesday appealed to “all stakeholders” to ensure no one is stopped from exercising their right to free speech on campus. The authorities, in a signed statement, urged “all sections of the university community” to take necessary steps so that everyone can express views without fear. [caption id=“attachment_4175481” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Jadavpur University. Wikimedia Commons[/caption] The statement also exhorted the stakeholders to maintain peace, harmony and goodwill on the campus. “We appeal that measures be taken so that no one is restrained from exercising his/her right to express views freely. We need this to ensure the sustenance of democratic space on the campus and to guarantee freedom of speech and expression,” said the statement signed by Vice-Chancellor (VC) Suranjan Das, pro-VCs Pradip K Ghosh, Chiranjib Bhattacharya and Registrar Snehamanju Basu. JU had witnessed a fracas last Thursday, when a section of students gheraoed and heckled the Union minister for several hours, and the ABVP activists subsequently vandalised university property. The authorities also emphasised the need to maintain JU’s “rich democratic tradition, which has enabled the university to attain heights of academic excellence.” “In order to ensure our continuous quest for excellence, every stakeholder needs to be united in the interest of the university,” the statement said. Last Friday, the JU registrar had issued a statement, saying the campus cannot be governed with the help of state’s law-enforcing machinery. Her assertion had followed criticism of the institute’s administration by Chancellor-West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who said the police should have been called in immediately. Dhankar had visited the campus along with a huge contingent of police and “rescued” Supriyo.