Presidency University expels student, bars ex-student from campus for ‘defacing’ ABVP poster on campus

Mitra also questioned the university’s action, saying it should have handled the matter more sensitively and should not “destroy students’ academic lives”. (File)

By Sharanyo Basu

Presidency University has expelled a student and taken academic action against another former student over the alleged defacement of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) posters on campus, a day after senior RSS functionary Jishnu Basu delivered a lecture at an event hosted by the ABVP.

According to university sources, a final-year post-graduate student and a former student, both from the sociology department, had allegedly defaced the ABVP poster.

While the student has been expelled from the university, both the student and the former student have been banned from enrolling in any future programmes at Presidency University. The university has also barred both of them from entering the campus and participating in any academic work.

The incident dates back to October 14, when the ABVP complained that obscene words had been written on one of its posters, carrying an image of Swami Vivekananda, pasted on a campus wall. The ABVP had then staged a protest outside the campus the same day.

A five-member committee was subsequently formed to investigate the incident. Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay had also assured strict action.

On Friday, the university said the committee had examined testimonies and CCTV footage and confirmed the involvement of the two students. The academic action taken against them followed the inquiry.

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In a statement issued Friday, Registrar Debjyoti Konar said, “Presidency has always supported dignified academic discussion and debate on scientific and socio-political issues. However, the university will not tolerate in any way the insulting of any thinker, ideology or organisation.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, ABVP’s Presidency University unit president Mridul Banik alleged that Left-wing student organisations had instigated the two students to deface the poster. Calling the incident “the most despicable act and something truly vile”, Banik appealed to students to reject Left and ultra-Left organisations on campus.

Alleging a larger conspiracy, Banik said there was a “seasoned mind” behind the incident and that the person responsible must be identified.

Ushasree Mitra, secretary of the SFI unit at Presidency University, denied the allegations of the CPI(M)’s student wing being involved. She said SFI had called for action against those responsible after the incident and that the inquiry had found no SFI members involved.

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Mitra also questioned the university’s action, saying it should have handled the matter more sensitively and should not “destroy students’ academic lives”.

She also questioned ABVP’s use of images of B R Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh and Swami Vivekananda on its posters, saying their ideas had no connection with the organisation’s ideology.

(Sharanyo Basu is an intern with Kolkata office of The Indian Express)