WB-JU-VC

Jadavpur University VC heckled & manhandled by students
    Kolkata, Feb 19 (PTI) Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur
University Prof Suranjan Das Tuesday claimed that he was
heckled and manhandled by a section of students agitating over
the issue of holding students union elections in the varsity.
    Das told PTI he was heckled and manhandled by a group
of students as he was trying to board his vehicle after
attending the executive council meeting of the university.
    "I feel very insulted. This had never happened to me
in the past. I am now on way to hospital. I feel shaken over
the developments. The students just blocked my path and turned
aggressive even as I was trying to say that I am ready to
speak to them but in a proper manner," Das said.
    Debraj Debnath of Arts Faculty Students' Union claimed
the VC's security guards tried to physically remove our
members, including girls, as we tried to speak to him and
four-five of our members were injured.
    "We have no idea if the VC got hurt in the melee,"
Debnath said.
    He said AFSU and SFI members wanted to know if the EC
meeting took up the "inordinate delay" in holding students
union election which was put off for more than a year despite
the VC's assurance last January that the EC will write to the
Education minister to facilitate students' union elections in
the university."
    "He sat over the issue despite meeting the minister
several times in the past. And when we confronted him he tried
to run away," Debnath said.
    Debnath said AFSU and SFI members demanding immediate
steps to hold the elections are staging an indefinite sit-in
from Tuesday before Gandhi Bhavan in the campus.
    Condemning the students' action, Education Minister
Partha Chatterjee said "This is deplorable. The students
should have aired their demands in a democratic manner. PTI
SUS
RG RG