Two Saraswati pujas in one college in min-MP-cop presence
Times of India | 3 February 2025
123 Kolkata: Two separate Saraswati pujas were held on Sunday at Jogesh Chandra Choudhuri's Law College and Day College, with the former's on the campus and the latter's outside, under CCTV surveillance and armed police guards, based on a Calcutta High Court order. State education minister Bratya Basu, and Kolkata south MP Mala Roy, who went to the college campus, spoke to the agitated law college students who vented their ire at the former day college students. Some law college students also resorted to sloganeering demanding "justice".
Basu said, "We are always ready to listen to the students' demands, but today is not the day of protest. If they have anything to say, they should tell the principal, and we will definitely try to resolve the matter." Agitating law students stopped the minister, demanding to speak to them. Some of the protesting students broke down in tears, saying to the minister, "We can't tolerate these (alleged hooliganism by ex-students of day college) any more." Basu, along with the college governing body members, called four law student representatives to the principal's room, listened to their grievances and assured them that these would be resolved shortly.
Roy, the MP, said, "As a governing body president, if students want to speak to us, we are ready to listen, but during this occasion, such slogans are not accepted from students. We have no idea about the internal trouble between students, but they should not be a part of politics. We don't want any politics in it, so Bratya and I came to visit both the pujas organised by law and day students." She added, "The day college students were forced to shift their puja to the street to avoid conflict. However, some people with their political agenda are trying to use this issue but we don't want any politics in it."
Senior law student Deshma Ghosh, who filed the petition in the HC, said, "We have no political backing. If we did, we wouldn't need to move to court to perform our puja at our college. Many of our friends and juniors are still feeling insecure because the police will not be there for long. Then what will happen? Who will ensure our protection?" Avidipta Paul, a fifth-year law student, said, "We are performing our puja. But they can only say why they have shifted to the road. We want security for all our students." Satakshi Sengupta, a fourth-year student, said, "Many of our friends did not attend the puja as they are afraid after whatever happened in past two days."
The law students had named Sabbir Ali, an ex-day college student, for harassing them. Ali on Sunday was spotted at the puja pandal outside the college performing anjali. He claimed he was not an ‘outsider' as he is a former student of day college and has been attached to the puja since his college days. "I had no intention to stop the puja because I am very much attached to the puja since my childhood days. I have nothing much to say."
Some locals expressed their dissatisfaction over the setting up of a pandal blocking the road. However, the day college students said they had no other option but to shift to the road. Minister Basu told TOI, "The main objective is performing puja, whether inside or outside the campus. But the principal of the Day College did not take any initiative to solve the matter."
Principal Pankaj Roy claimed that he held a meeting and formed a committee. Even Rs 1.1 lakh budget was sanctioned. "I don't know why they shifted to the road; no one even informed me. The minister came to the college and I was present on the campus, but no one called me to meet him. So, I preferred to stay outside during the meeting." However, Ali claimed that the students contributed money to perform the puja.
Principal Roy brought an idol and placed it on the chair to comply with the HC order. "Someone should take the right step even if the person is alone," he added.