Governor shown black flags by protestors at Calcutta University
Kolkata: The Medal and Ph.D. degree awarding ceremony at Calcutta University on Thursday was held under tight security, virtually turning the College Street campus into a fortress. Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) supporters staged a protest outside the main gate, showing black flags to Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the Chancellor of all state-aided universities, as he entered the campus for the ceremony.
The event was scheduled to start at 12 pm, but TMCP supporters began their agitation early in the morning, claiming the ceremony was illegal due to the absence of a permanent Vice Chancellor. A TMCP leader stated: “There is no permanent vice-chancellor (V-C) and it is illegal to hold a convocation without one. Now the Governor is conducting the convocation in the name of an award ceremony behind closed doors.”
As Bose entered the campus, he was met with black flags and ‘go back’ slogans from the agitators. A large number of police personnel were present around the university campus to prevent any incidents and ensure the Governor’s smooth entry. Similar agitation was shown when interim V-C Shanta Dutta Dey arrived.
Reacting to the protests, Chancellor Bose stated: “Black flags are welcome. That’s a way of protesting. In a democracy, anybody can protest and political parties are also a part of democracy.”
Shanta Dutta Dey added: “They can’t enter the campus since we approached the Calcutta High Court and according to the court order, no outsiders are allowed without permission from the authorities. Therefore, they have no choice but to shout from outside. It’s clear who is backing them.”The university took extensive measures to ensure the ceremony went smoothly.
Two gates were closed from the inside, restricting entry and exit without permission. During the ceremony, 536 Ph.D. degrees and 235 gold medals were awarded, but the Chancellor did not give the degrees directly to the awardees. Instead, the Ph.D. degrees were awarded to the deans of the respective faculties. In his speech, Governor Bose called the students, professors and the V-C ‘bold and beautiful’ for standing strong in the face of external troubles.
The university usually awards Ph.D. certificates at the annual convocation, which was last held on January 27, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent expiration of the Senate’s tenure in 2022, convocation ceremonies could not be held. The Senate is the university’s highest decision making body.
The decision to hold the award ceremony was taken in a syndicate meeting, considering the situation.
