Bar on politicians at JU; court tells varsity not to invite leaders to the campus
Telegraph | 29 March 2025
The high court has directed Jadavpur University not to allow any programme involving “political functionaries” on the campus.
A division bench passed the order on Thursday while hearing a PIL that sought “urgent intervention of the court in addressing the grave and escalating lawlessness” in JU.
“In the writ petition, it has been mentioned that recently, a highly placed political functionary of the ruling dispensation had visited the university and his vehicle was attacked... If the situation in the university is not conducive, it is not clear why such important persons are to accept invitations in the university which may have a negative impact,” the bench headed by chief justice T.S. Sivagnanam said.
“Therefore, there will be a direction upon the respondent university not to conduct any functions or seminars in which political functionaries... are invited. If some seminars and functions are to be conducted, it shall be conducted by inviting academicians, both past and present,” said the bench, also comprising Justice Chaitali Chatterjee.
The written order was not available till late on Thursday.
A senior lawyer at the high court said the order puts the onus on the university to ensure that politicians are not part of any programmes held on the campus. “Permission from the JU administration is needed to organise any programme on the campus. The court has barred the administration from allowing any programme that involves a politician,” the lawyer said.
On March 1, state education minister Bratya Basu went to JU to attend a meeting of the pro-Trinamool WBCUPA (West Bengal College and University Professors Association). Basu’s car came under attack from a section affiliated with the students’ wings of Left and ultra-Left outfits demanding resumption of campus elections.
In the violence, at least two students were injured. Arson by suspected students and former students followed.
The police have filed cases against several students. Basu has been charged with attempted murder of a student in an FIR registered after the intervention of the high court.
On Thursday, the bench also directed JU to file an affidavit within three weeks stating the steps it had taken to ensure the “safety and security of students and teaching, non-teaching and administrative staff”.
The lawyer representing JU placed before the court the minutes of a virtual meeting on March 15 between the vice-chancellor, pro-VC and the registrar in which “certain decisions” were taken in connection with the security on the campus.
“While it is appreciated that the VC and other higher authorities... have taken a decision to meet and address the concerns.... the matter does not stop there. What is required is implementation of the decisions... Therefore, the respondent university should file an affidavit, clearly stating as to how and in what manner the decisions were implemented or are in the process of being implemented,” the bench said.
The petitioner, Subham Das, demanded students’ security, police outposts on campus and deployment of armed police or central forces there.
The bench expressed reservations about the capability of a private security agency that the JU counsel said was tasked with security arrangements on the campus. “We have our own doubts. However, this is only a prima facie view. This doubt has arisen in our mind, taking note of the large number of FIRs... registered ever since 2014 in Jadavpur PS concerning the university…. Therefore, this aspect is also to be addressed when the matter is being heard subsequently,” the bench said.
Advocate Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, appearing for the state, pleaded helplessness, saying the police could not enter the campus without being asked by the JU administration. The bench said: “It is also not clear why the university has not addressed the state government for necessary police assistance. This aspect will also be considered in the next hearing.”
JU’s authorised VC Bhaskar Gupta said: “We are yet to get a copy of the court order. We will decide our course after going through it.”