Protest path: Students of Jadavpur University take to the streets

T.R. Anand,
Budge Budge

Students should be punished if their agitation takes a toll on academic activities. The government must tackle such situations with an iron hand. Students cannot afford to lose time in a fast-evolving world. If they are found to be engaging in disruptive activities, they should be punished. The other students would then automatically start thinking in a more positive manner.

Sushma Jalan,
Alipore

Punishing only students will provide an unfair amount of freedom to teachers and authorities, who might also be in the wrong. It is necessary to find out the reason behind the agitation and punish the guilty, be they teachers or students. The right of students to voice their opinion must always be respected. However, a group of students should not be allowed to hamper the educational activities of others.

S.S. Almal,
Lower Rawdon Street

It will not be easy to punish students in an agitation where the facts are not clear. Doing so will only result in greater agitation.

Dipro Ray,
Beniapukur Lane

In an academic institution, the primary concern of the students should be their studies. They must not waste valuable time and opportunity to build their career by participating in agitations. Long-drawn protests invariably affect academic activities. However, the authorities must think twice before rusticating students or handing them over to police.

Kalyan Ghosh,
Park Street

The primary function of an educational institution is to impart knowledge and students have no right to interfere with the process under any circumstance. They will have to protest in a more docile manner as long as they remain students.

Payel Bhattacharya,
Diamond Harbour Road

The reason behind the agitation should determine whether students are punished or not. If the cause is genuine and has the potential to improve the students? lot, there is no question of punishment even if the agitation hampers academic activities. However, it should be ensured that political parties do not exploit the situation.

C.V. Krishnamoorthy,
Alipore

The situation in academic institutions should not be allowed to reach a point where students are forced to agitate to draw the attention of the authorities. Every educational institution should have a grievance redressal cell, constituting members of the faculty. That would be the most effective way of dealing with disruptive agitations.

Moumita Nandi,
Behala

Protest against injustice is a must. But it should not affect academic activities in an educational institution. Even students of reputed schools and colleges sometimes forget that. They should definitely be punished.

Arjun Chaudhuri,
Mohesh Chaudhuri Lane

Nothing is more important than academic pursuit in educational institutions. So students should certainly be punished if their agitation affects academic activities on campus. But the punishment should not be brutal or inhuman.

Govind Das Dujari,
Diamond Harbour Road

Parents spend their hard-earned money to send their wards to schools and colleges. It is the responsibility of the authorities of educational institutions to ensure that students do not get involved in undesirable activities. A small section of students often spoils the careers of others by creating unnecessary trouble. The heads of educational institutions must be vested with the right to punish any student. Otherwise, indiscipline will reign.

Indranil Sanyal,
Dhakuria

The cause of the agitation has to be determined first. The authorities should then try to sort out the problem through discussion. In our state, most student agitations have been for just causes. However, if the students are in the wrong, there should be a provision to punish them.

Indranil Sengupta,
Salt Lake

If the agitation is over an issue that is of no concern to students, they should obviously be punished. But there is no question of punishment if the authorities are at fault. It is wrong to assume that student agitations are wasteful.

Vinay Dokania,
Howrah

Student mostly agitate over a difference of opinion with the authorities of educational institutions. Punishing them will only worsen such situations. The best way to resolve such problems is through discussion.

Aliasgar Poonawala,
Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road

Academics is of utmost importance in student life. Any disturbance to academic activities in educational institutions should be severely dealt with.

Nidhi Poddar,
Salt Lake

The authorities should first warn the students. If that does not have any effect, then punishment is definitely advisable. A group does not have the right to hamper the lives of other students by agitating on campus. Strict punishment would root out such agitations.

Subhankar Mukherjee,
Borehat, Burdwan

Students resort to agitation to press for their demands. Heads of academic institutions should take the initiative to bring them to the talks table to address their grievances. High-handed handling of student agitations can be counterproductive. The current situation at Jadavpur University is a case in point.

Nirmalya Biswas,
Hridaypur Station Road

If students agitate on campus, academic activities are definitely going to be hampered. However, students would not deliberately harm their careers unless the cause is good enough. Use of force by the authorities in such situations would lead to erosion of trust between students and the authorities.

Kaushik Guha,
SN Roy Road

Studies should be the prime objective of students. They should never agitate in a way that affects academic activities on campus or vitiates the atmosphere. If students do so, they should certainly be punished.

Govinda Bakshi,
Budge Budge

There should be a bond between teachers and students. If any dispute arises, it should be amicably settled. Neither party should have a vindictive attitude. The authorities must be willing to forgive and take the initiative to resolve crises.

Pijush Kanti Sarkar,
Acharya Palli

If students violate rules and regulations of an academic institution, they should definitely be punished. But I can never support police lathicharge on agitating students at midnight in Jadavpur University. The move was inhuman and should be condemned by everyone.

Satyen Biswas,
Behala

There should not be any agitation in educational institutions that hampers academic activities. Students must discuss their demands with the heads of their institutions, instead of taking part in protests. Indiscipline and bad manners cannot be tolerated under any situation.

Prantik Sanyal,
SP Mukherjee Road

Those who disturb academic activities in educational institutions, whether they are teachers or students, should be punished. Everyone is equal before the eyes of the law.

Sachindra Nath Mitra,
Rakhal Ghosh Lane

Drastic steps like suspension and police action are not desirable over teacher-student disputes. Differences should be sorted out in an amicable manner.

Deba Prasad Bhattacharya,
Sonarpur

Any sort of agitation always affects normal activities and smooth operation. Nevertheless it is the only weapon to protest. If the agitators disrupt the academic activities on campus, they should definitely be punished but not in the way the JU authorities did so.