ABVP threatens ‘surgical strike’ at Jadavpur University amid students’ protest
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS’s student wing, on Tuesday threatened “surgical strikes” at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University, where tension prevails over the incident involving a student being hit allegedly by the vehicle of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on the campus premises.
Alleging that there was anarchy in the university, ABVP’s state secretary Aniruddha Sarkar said, “In the future, the ABVP will carry out a surgical strike inside Jadavpur and it will be very scary. In whatever way and in whatever language, ABVP will respond to the organisation (SFI) in the language it understands. Let them get prepared for this.”
Earlier, former state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh had spoken out about a “surgical strike” at Jadavpur University.
The standoff began on March 1 when left-wing student organisations SFI and AISA ‘gheraoed’ state minister Bratya Basu and damaged the windscreen of his vehicle to press for their demands to declare students’ union election dates in the state at the earliest.
The protest began before Basu’s arrival on the campus, with students raising slogans and voicing their grievances. As West Bengal College and University (WBCUPA) officials attempted to disperse the demonstrators, tensions escalated into a physical altercation.
The situation spiralled further when the students blocked the minister’s vehicle, deflating its tyres and preventing his exit. The minister remained confined for nearly two hours amid the turmoil, unable to leave the premises.
On Monday, a clash broke out between two student organisations at the university gate. ABVP members marched to gate number four of the university. Many people even allegedly entered by pushing the university gate.
The university security personnel tried to close the gate, but got involved in a scuffle with the student organisations.
During the chaos, SFI and AIDSO flags were thrown down and ABVP flags were put up in that place. The posters of the left-wing student organisation were also torn down.
