Left-Trinamool scuffle spreads to multiple districts in West Bengal

Violent clashes erupt in West Bengal colleges as students demand resignation of Education Minister Bratya Basu.

Clashes erupted across several colleges and universities across West Bengal on Monday, as student activists associated with Left parties and Trinamool Congress supporters engaged in scuffle and violence.

The development came as the students’ unions had called for a strike across higher educational institutions in the State demanding the resignation of West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu

Clashes were reported at the University of North Bengal, Vidyasagar University, Murshidabad University, and the district of Cooch Behar where Left and Trinamool activists came face to face and were seen pushing and shoving each other. Trinamool workers were also seen attacking female students in Medinipur College. Several activists of the All-India Democratic Students’ Organisation (AIDSO), the student wing of SUCI (Communist) were detained by the police in Cooch Behar district

Srijan Bhattacharya, a leader of Student Federation of India said that the strike called today was part of democratic right of students and despite certain differences all the Left students union have come togather in supporting the agitation. “ The demand of holding students elections in universities and colleges is a rightful demand of student community and the SFI will support it,” Mr. Bhattachrya said.

Kolkata’s premium government institutes like Presidency and Jadavpur University campuses remained deserted. Department doors remained shut; students did not enter classrooms in solidarity with their injured peers. 

Students at Jadavpur and Presidency also held rallies raising slogans condemning the violence against students and police action against them. 

Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) did not support the strike, but their General Secretary Partha Pratim Roy told The Hindu, “We support students’ demand for a union and condemn police harassment.”