The CPM student wing SFI on Sunday demanded the arrest and resignation of education minister Bratya Basu, accusing him of an attempt to run over protesting students with his car on Saturday inside the Jadavpur University campus which left at least three students injured.

The SFI has called for a students’ strike on Monday across all university campuses in the state to protest against the alleged brutality of Basu and the “large-scale conspiracy” to instill fear in Jadavpur University by bringing in outsiders.

Additionally, the SFI central executive committee (CEC) has called for a nationwide protest over the Jadavpur University issue on Monday, the SFI all-India president V.P. Dani said.

SFI state secretary Debanjan Dey, however, clarified that Monday’s student strike in Bengal would be confined to university campuses only and would not disrupt roadways, ensuring that the higher secondary examinations, set to begin on Monday,
proceed smoothly.

“We demand the arrest of education minister Bratya Basu for a clear murder attempt on protesting students as he tried to run over them. He conspired to bring in criminals to attack students. It all seems pre-planned,” Dey alleged.

“It is shocking to see Basu directing his driver to move the car despite students standing in front, trying to make him listen to their demand for student union elections, which have been suspended for the last seven years. It appears that Basu attempted to crush students as the TMC failed to run its crime syndicate on this campus like elsewhere,” he added, comparing the alleged incident to the “Lakhimpur Kheri model of the TMC” at Jadavpur University.

On October 3, 2021, the son of BJP leader Ajay Kumar Mishra allegedly ran over and killed protesting farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, during demonstrations against controversial farm laws.

Accusing Basu of replicating that model, the SFI leadership also claimed that he was using an illegal car with an expired Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate.

Dey further questioned the police inaction, stating that no suo motu case had been filed despite the gravity of the incident.

Several students were reportedly injured when Basu’s convoy was leaving Jadavpur University campus after he was gheraoed by students demanding an immediate announcement of student body elections. Basu had visited the university to attend the general body meeting of WBCUPA.

“We feel ashamed to have Bratya Basu as our education minister. His actions clearly indicate a conspiracy to create unrest on the campus. It is shocking that during the organisational meeting of WBCUPA, criminals from Madhyamgram and other areas near Calcutta were brought inside the campus. Even a Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) leader from Calcutta University, whose entry into the Calcutta University campus was prohibited by a High Court order, was present in Jadavpur,” Dey alleged.

In response to the alleged brutality at Jadavpur University, Left Front activists took out a massive rally in Jadavpur on Sunday, echoing SFI’s demand for the arrest of Basu. In Burdwan, Dinhata and Bankura, SFI activists had heated exchanges with the police, who objected to road blockades.