BJP Minister heckled, stripped

Babul Supriyo runs into vociferous protests on campus of Kolkata's Jadavpur University; gheraoed and roughened up, he is finally rescued by State Governor

A day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid a courtesy call on PM Modi, his Union Minister Babul Supriyo was heckled, allegedly roughened up and shown black flags in Kolkata's Jadavpur University on Thursday.

Supriyo, giving a more graphic account, claimed that his hair were pulled, was kicked and virtually held hostage for five hours by the students who had cordoned off his car. Perforce, he was constrained to clamber atop the bonnet of an OBV van, he has claimed.

In unprecedented action, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Chancellor of the University, rushed to the spot and ‘rescued’ Supriyo, whisking him out of the campus in his car.

Earlier, the Governor’s convoy was also stuck inside the campus as hundreds of students blocked the road. The agitating students ended the blockade after the police and the university teachers persuaded them; only then, Dhankhar left the place with Supriyo in his car.

In retaliation, ABVP students went on a rampage and damaged university property. They also set a portion of the student union’s office on fire. Supriyo also claimed that the protesting students tried to provoke him by "openly calling themselves Naxals". The Union Minister had gone there to attend an event organised by the ABVP; however, he ran into vociferous protest by SFI & AISA members who were opposing his visit.

AFSU leader Debraj Debnath, who participated in the protest, asserted that "fascist forces" will not be allowed on the campus. "We will not let the BJP, the RSS and the ABVP to spread their ideology in a liberal institute like JU," he said.

According to PTI, Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das tried to talk with the protesting students, who refused to move from the main entrance.

The police was not allowed to enter the campus by the protestors; finally a police posse that accompanied the Governor made it possible for Supriyo to flee to safety. The Vice-Chancellor fell ill following the drama on campus and had to be rushed to a hospital.

Governor Dhankhar has taken a "very serious view" of the incident, his press secretary told reporters. ‘‘It involved unlawful detention of a Union minister and this is a very serious reflection on the law and order of the State and on the conduct of the law enforcing agencies," Raj Bhavan said in a statement.

Chief Secretary Malay De said the city police commissioner has been directed to look into the matter.