Two state government-sponsored colleges in Nadia organised their freshers’ welcome on Tuesday, flouting the January 2 state order that categorically announced the closure of campuses in Bengal till January 15 owing to the surge in Covid positive cases.

At Majhdia, the authorities of Sudhiranjan Lahiri Mahavidyalaya claimed they were compelled to go ahead with the pre-scheduled programme to avoid financial loss owing to prior orders placed for sweets and refreshment for the new students.

At the Asannagar Madan Mohan Tarkalankar College in Asannagar village, authorities refused to speak to the media, debarring their entry on the campus where they held the programne.

In both cases, college officials claimed they were compelled to organise the programme because of pressure by a section of leaders of the Trinamul students’ wing, who refused to listen to the request of senior party leaders to suspend the events.

District Trinamul president Jayanta Saha, however, refuted charges of involvement of the party’s students wing. He termed the incident as an “irresponsible act” by students in general that should have been avoided.

Both the colleges had planned the ceremony well ahead. In view of the January 2 restrictions issued by Nabanna, campuses are to remain closed till January 15. However, both at Asannagar and Majhdia, sources said students’ wing leaders of the ruling party were in no mood to call off the events.

A Trinamul insider said that governing body president of the Asannagar college and MLA Bimalendu Sinha Roy had ordered suspension of the event when he visited the campus on Monday. However, senior students belonging to the faction opposed to Sinha Roy decided to overrule the MLA.

Sinha Roy told this paper: “I asked the students not to organise the event (at Asannagar). As far as I know there was no celebration. I think you have incorrect information.”

Sources in the college said nearly 1,000 freshers of Asannagar Madan Mohan Tarkalankar College were welcomed with roses, offered sweets and a folder.

A student of the arts faculty said on anonymity: “The programme was held on the college ground and most of the teachers were present. A cultural programme was also held there. DJ boxes (sound boxes in local parlance) were brought, but were not played after police objected.”

At the Sudhiranjan Lahiri Mahavidyalaya in Majhdia, the ceremony was held on college grounds under police protection. Around 1,000 students were present on campus flouting Covid norms. A student on anonymity said: “Our senior students told us to attend campus and so we came.”

College principal Somnath Bandopadhyay said: “We went ahead with it as refreshments for the students had been ordered. We, however, postponed the cultural programme. The students got refreshments and a folder, after which they left. There was no violation of Covid protocol.”

The SDO of Krishnagar Sadar, Chitradip Sen, said he did not know about the events on the two campuses. No permission was sought by any of the colleges, Sen added.