Want JU campus to be rid of ‘anti-national elements’: BJP leader

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said the Jadavpur University campus needs to be freed of “anti-national elements.

Kolkata: Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said the Jadavpur University campus, where a first-year undergraduate student died last week after being allegedly ragged and sexually harassed by seniors, needs to be freed of “anti-national elements”.

The leader of the opposition, who along with other party MLAs met the family of the 17-year-old boy in Nadia district, also said they would demand that Education Minister Bratya Basu table an action taken report on the incident in the assembly.

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“We are with the family and will help them in whichever way they want. What has happened is unfortunate, but the state administration cannot escape responsibility,” Adhikari said.

He also hit out at the ultra-left student unions at JU, a day after members of one of such organisations, All India Revolutionary Students Federation (AIRSF) and the BJP Yuva Morcha clashed outside the varsity where Adhikari had gone to address a public meeting.

Adhikari on Friday also lodged a police complaint alleging a “premeditated attack” on him by the ultra-Left outfit.

“The anti-national forces need to be ousted from the JU campus. This anarchy cannot be tolerated. What has happened is completely anarchic and unacceptable. Next week when the assembly session resumes, we will force Education Minister Bratya Basu to table the action taken report in the assembly,” the BJP leader said.

The deceased, who was a resident of Bagula in Nadia district, was a first-year undergraduate student of Bengali Honours.

He fell around 11.45 pm on August 9 and died while undergoing treatment at a hospital the next day.

Nine former and current students of JU were arrested for allegedly ragging and sexually harassing the teenager leading to his death after falling from a second-floor balcony of the main hostel building last week. They were remanded to police custody.