Education minister Partha Chatterjee on Tuesday sought an explanation from Trinamul student leaders of Calcutta University for demonstrating in front of the vice-chancellor’s office on Monday without the leadership’s consent.
Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad supporters had demonstrated for more than two hours at Darbhanga Building, on the College Street campus, to press for better facilities on the campus and in hostels.
Sources said Chatterjee had summoned the general secretary of the Trinamul students’ union at CU, Kunal Samanta, to Trinamul Bhavan and asked him why the demonstration was held despite the party’s ban on campus protests.
Also during the day, Chatterjee called up in the presence of reporters Sourav Adhikary, another Trinamul Congress student leader who had taken part in the agitation, seeking an explanation for the protest.
He was heard asking Adhikary over the phone why he had gone to meet the VC with so many students without an appointment.
Darbhanga Building — which houses the offices of the VC, pro-VC (academic), registrar and the controller of examinations — is a restricted zone. Students and visitors are only allowed entry if they have an appointment with any official.
Permission is also required for holding demonstrations outside the VC’s chamber.
At a CU programme on July 28, Chatterjee had said: “If a large number of supporters assemble, decency is lost. If they have to meet the vice-chancellor, a small team comprising five to 10 members should do so with an appointment.”
Samanta admitted being summoned to Trinamul Bhavan but declined to say what the minister told him. Adhikary declined comment.
The state president of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad, Ashoke Rudra, said on Tuesday the leadership did not know that so many supporters of his organisation would gather on the campus to submit a memorandum.
“We were told that only four to five members would go to meet the VC. But instead, a large number of students had gathered outside the VC’s office. We have clearly told our student leaders on the CU campus that no agitation would be held without the leadership’s consent,” said Rudra.
