Calcutta high court on Friday asked the state counsel and Trinamul MP Kalyan Banerjee to give the count of security personnel of state education minister Bratya Basu who were injured during the blockade by students at the Jadavpur University last Saturday.
The Serampore MP and lawyer Banerjee had appeared before the court to seek a change in the next hearing date.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh had set the date for next hearing on March 12 when the state has to submit a report on what transpired at JU on March 1.
During the brief hearing held on Friday, the court again questioned the role of the cops.
“The minister’s car came under attack. How many PSOs were injured? Can you find it out? In that case what is the need for providing security? Whatever you may say, the cops were negligent. I had told the advocate general the same thing,” Justice Ghosh remarked.
Banerjee argued minister Basu’s security team waited outside while he was chairing a meeting of the pro-Trinamul WBCUPA (West Bengal College and University Professors Association), of which the minister is the president, on saffronisation of education. Students belonging to Left and ultra-Left organisations demanding polls the students union be held immediately gheraoed the minister’s vehicle while he was leaving the campus. As the minister’s car tried to make its way out, two students Indranuj Roy and Abhinab Basu sustained injuries.
Responding to the bench, Banerjee said. “The failure is of the university’s, not the police. He was attending a party meeting. The PSOs were stationed outside. If there is a legal cell meeting in the Calcutta high court that I have to attend the same thing will be done.”
During the court proceeding, Banerjee said he will not appear in any case before Justice Ghosh's bench.
Reminding the counsel of a security protocol, Justice Ghosh said, “I would have accepted (this argument) if the mob had overpowered the security officers and entered the auditorium. That was not the case. The incident took place outside the auditorium.”
When Banerjee tried to counter saying, protocol cannot be followed some of the time for public figure, the single judge bench reminded him that protocol should be followed for a cabinet minister.
On the instructions of the Calcutta high court, the cops had on Wednesday night registered an FIR against minister Basu, his driver, JU teacher and Trinamul leader Om Prakash Mishra and others. They have been charged under sections 115(2) (causing wilful injury), 74 (sexual assault), 351(3) (threat). 109 (attempt to murder) and 3(5) (joint criminal liability).
The cops had earlier drawn up seven FIRs, two of which were suo moto, against students and former students of the university.
In a meeting held late on Thursday night, the students’ bodies gave an ultimatum to the ailing acting vice-chancellor Bhaskar Gupta to call a meeting of the executive council by Saturday. Else, they have threatened to go on a strike from Monday onwards.
