‘Azad Kashmir’ graffiti in Jadavpur University triggers row

Kolkata: Amid protests over the alleged entry of ‘plainclothes police personnel’ on the university campus, ‘Azad Kashmir’ and ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti have been spotted on the Jadavpur University campus, triggering a row.

A graffiti in black proclaiming ‘Azad Kashmir’ and ‘Free Palestine’ were seen on a wall near gate number three of the university on Monday but it was not known who or which organisation was behind it. JU’s Trinamool Chhatra Parishad unit president Kishalay Roy alleged: “Some ultra-Left student outfits are behind this and more such graffiti can be spotted if one goes around the sprawling campus.”

SFI’s JU unit leader Abhinaba Basu said: “We don’t support secessionist views though we are against the repression of minorities in BJP-ruled states.”Senior faculty member and functionary of TMC-leaning forum of academics, Om Prakash Mishra, said: “We are against any poster and graffiti which support secessionist views.”

When Mishra entered the campus for the first time after the March 1 incident, he was greeted with slogans like “BJP-TMC dictatorship se azadi” and “go back” by a section of Left-leaning students. In another development, a minor controversy arose at Calcutta University after a student group announced Holi celebrations on Tuesday, defying the university’s directive allowing celebrations at College Street campus only on March 12 and 13.

A notice issued by the registrar on March 10 restricted celebrations to these dates from 2 pm to 5 pm, barring outsiders. Interim V-C Shanta Dutta Dey confirmed that two student groups had permission, provided no political banners were displayed. However, one group planned to celebrate on Tuesday without approval.

The V-C reported that while no official celebrations took place, some students played Holi in classrooms, which did not require

prior approval.