Clash of ideologies through wall graffiti continues at Jadavpur University

The war over wall graffiti in Kolkata’s Jadavpur University (JU) has yet again divided the left- and right-wing student organisations. The vice chancellor of JU says that anti-national wall graffiti that hurt various ideologies should not be put up in the campus, in line with what Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said last week. While the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) agrees with this line of thought.

“We welcome the decision to remove these anti-national graffiti. The graffiti that have resurfaced are against any democratic goals on the campus. We will make sure those are replaced by pro-India and pro-nationalistic graffitti,” said Somsurya Banerjee, a fourth-year student from telecommunications and engineering and a member of right wing Nationalist Students Front (NSF).

“The anti-national slogans written on walls about other countries is very wrong because firstly this is an Indian institution and we don’t want to welcome such things. Despite walls being whitewashed based on what the government says, they are not stopping. They want to spread anti-national sentiments,” said Samisha Jaiswal, an undergraduate student and member of NSF.

The left-wing organisations have initiated a ‘reclaim the wall’ cry for freedom of expression after their graffiti was defaced and whitewashed. They put up graffiti on the same walls again, including those related to “Free Palestine” and Karl Marx and Ho Chi Minh.

“Our university was born soon after Independence. We know how to love our country. Suvendu Adhikari and ABVP leaders are spreading false information about the university and students. We know that demanding the freedom of Palestine or elections of the student’s wing is not an anti-national act. They (ABVP) have done hooliganism and tried to corner us. These acts should be called anti-national,” said Abhinaba Basu of left-wing body Students Federation of India (SFI).

“There are different political and philosophical ideologies on campus and everyone has their mark with wall graffiti and festoons. We want to tell ABVP that this campus space belongs to students who uphold democratic rights and want to stay liberated, not by their fascist attacks. The walls belongs to us, not them or outsider goons they bring to campus to beat up students,” S.K. Nabab, a member of the left-wing Revolutionary Students Front (RSF).

The vice chancellor, who is also an alumni of the university, believes graffiti content should portrays an image of the university that should be in good taste and not hurt other ideologies. “The content of the graffiti is important because it should not hurt political ideologies of others,” said Chiranjit Banerjee, vice chancellor, JU.

The VC goes on to explain that JU was formed through a nationalist movement and that JU believes in pluralism, co-existence, openness and freedom of speech. “Writing anything students want is not perfect. I visited all top IITs and NITs in India and other reputed Indian universities and overseas too. Nowhere could I find such wall graffiti. It affects the visual aesthetics of the campus. I generally discourage wall graffiti. There should be specific locations which we have earmarked. It should be artistic with a visual aspect,” added the VC.

Some students feel the VC is acting under pressure from right-wing forces and the present government. The lines are blurred between freedom of expression and curbing freedom of thought. The fact remains that the left-wing is not willing to bow down to the demands of the university or right-wing ideologies.