‘Will apprise PM of the sufferings of students, staff at Visva Bharati’

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the alleged harassment faced by a section of students, teachers, employees and ashramites of Visva Bharati University (VBU) at the hands of the varsity authorities.

“Visva Bharati is a place of red soil but the administration is attempting saffronisation by force. The Prime Minister who is the Chancellor of the university should look into the matter. I will write a letter to him stating the suffering of the students, teachers and employees that I had learnt after meeting them on Tuesday,” Banerjee said, while addressing a distribution programme in Birbhum on Wednesday.

She said that the administration had suspended students, some of them have faced reduction of marks while teachers too have been terminated from their jobs. She also mentioned that Supriya Thakur, who happens to be the descendant of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore had informed her that boundary wall has been set up infront of his house and some other ashramites have faced similar problem. “Are you wanting everyone to be imprisoned while you should breathe easy in the open and push for saffronisation. What is happening in Visva Bharati is in stark contrast to the ideals of Tagore,” Banerjee said in a veiled attack to VBU Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty without taking any name.

She assured the students that the state government will make all arrangements so that the students who have been suspended or terminated by the authorities can continue their studies. “When the students from our state were compelled to leave war ravaged Ukraine, our government have rendered all possible support for their education , the same will be done for the deprived students of VBU too. A matter related with this issue is pending at the Court. We are waiting for the verdict of the judiciary and accordingly we will communicate our plan to the aggrieved students. We have already made a plan for the students,” added Banerjee.

She had made it clear on Tuesday after her meeting with students, teachers, and officials of Visva Bharati that her government will be in touch with them. “We will decide the future course of action after deliberation and discussion. I personally want the students to study hard and excel here, that they get opportunities and don’t face discrimination,” Banerjee had said.