Learn from St Xavier's, CM tells JU

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday expressed her displeasure over Jadavpur University (JU) students boycotting Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi during its last Convocation and asked them to take lessons from St Xavier's University where such incidents have never happened.

Addressing the Christmas meet organised by St Xavier's College Alumni Association on Friday, the Chief Minister said: "You boycott the programme when the Governor goes there. Widen your hearts. Xavier's never does such things. So, I love coming here. This university builds characters."

JU Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das was seated in the front row in the audience during the Chief Minister's address.

"JU never invites anyone. I respect everybody in JU. But nothing big can prosper amid narrow-mindedness," she said. Though Banerjee did not clarify anything but educationists present at the programme said she was most likely referring to the University's Convocation this year scheduled next week where no state representative has been invited as of now. The Chief Minister asked all universities to bring a parity so that students from one university can enroll in another as per his or her merit.

"I have already taken up the matter with the state Education department," she added. She welcomed St Xavier's University's decision to introduce law course from next year and asked the University to consider starting an institute in Alipurduar.