JU declines permission for Ram Navami celebrations on campus
A row broke out at Jadavpur University yesterday over the withdrawal of a permission to observe Ram Navami on the campus, allegedly after it was granted.
As scheduled, a University Grants Commission (UGC) delegation arrived at Jadavpur University today to assess the situation.
The visit comes 25 days after the death of first year student Swapnadip Kundu. Sources said that the team members may also visit the hostel.
UGC representatives spoke separately with members of the university administra- tion. In this regard, the vice- chancellor of Jadavpur University, Buddhadeb Sau, stat- ed, “They have expressed their desire to meet with us. I can’t say if they are happy or not with the report earli- er sent by JU authorities. They came for a visit, and there is nothing more to it. I have no idea about the purpose of their visit.”
Advertisement
The vice-chancellor denied having any information about the UGC team’s visit and mentioned that they have not clarified their purpose yet. On the other hand, when asked about the decision to instal CCTV cameras, the vice-chancellor said, “I have given an order to send the request to instal CCTV cam- eras toWebel within 3-4 days. Initially, we will instal CCTV cameras, which are mandatory. They cannot be turned off even if the students protest. They will be at all the gates.”
The incident at Jadavpur University has already led to two reports being sub- mitted to the UGC. Even after responding twice, the UGC is not satisfied.
On 25 August, the registrar of Jadavpur University had stated that they had sent the report for the first time after sending the questions. However, the UGC has not responded to it yet.
The UGC delegation’s visit to the university campus is expected to assess the over- all situation and understand the aftermath of the incident.
According to sources, the UGC delegation may stay on the university campus for several days. It’s worth noting that the university authorities have previously raised concerns about the lack of security arrangements, including the installation of CCTV cameras, in many areas.
Jadavpur University had sent a letter to the commission regarding these allegations and the university administration claimed that they received a satisfactory response from the UGC.
However, later, the UGC sent another letter, and the vice-chancellor stated that they have not received any information regarding their visit.
Advertisement
