– Mita Mukherjee

Prime minister Narendra Modi said at a campaign meeting on Friday that Jadavpur University is now a seat of “anarchy” and he attacked the ruling Trinumul Congress government for failing to save the institution once praised worldwide for its academic excellence.

He said the campus has become a “hotbed” of “anti-national” slogans.

“Once Jadavpur University was praised globally. The very foundation of the institution was based on the spirit of nationalism. Look at the situation now. Anti-national slogans are posted on the campus. Students face threats. Students are forced to protest on the streets. Look at the way the institution is running. They are engaged in all kinds of activities. But they are not studying. We don’t want such anarchy. We want an academic environment. We do not want threats. We want dialogue. A government which cannot save the future of a prestigious and largest educational institution cannot save the future of the state,” Modi said in Baruipur in South 24 Parganas, nearly 20 km away from Jadavpur.

Minutes after this remark Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee hit back on X wondering how the prime minister could “stoop so low”.

“Pained to ask: is this the way you describe the meritorious students of the esteemed Jadavpur University? Is this your concept of decorum and courtesy? Jadavpur University has been receiving top ranks from your government’s NIRF ranking framework year after year, and you insult that centre of excellence? You stoop so low?” the chief minister wrote.

“The students of Jadavpur University have earned their place through merit and walk out with degrees, with intellect, with the ability to question. That is not anarchy. That is education and that is excellence?” the chief minister said.

She requested him not to defame the institution and also Bengal.

She further wrote,”Students protesting do not constitute a breakdown of democracy. It is democracy in motion. Anarchy is using bulldozers as instruments of power instead of justice. Anarchy is when farmers die, and their voices are crushed. Anarchy is when those convicted of rape and other heinous crimes walk free for political convenience,” she said.

Jadavpur University construction engineering department professor Partha Pratim Biswas, who is contesting Kolkata’s high-profile Tollygunge seat for the CPI(M) reacted sharply to the prime minister’s comment.

“US President Donald Trump could see anti- nationals at Harvard. Our prime minister, a friend of Trump, can see anti-nationals at Jadavpur University probably for the same reason. A ruler would label an institution as anti-national if students raise questions. An institution like Jadavpur can excel if there is no fear to think freely, no fear to be curious, free to ask questions on any challenging issue. An institution of excellence should not be controlled and it should be allowed to think freely. But most ruling governments want to establish control on institutions of excellence to enforce only their own policies. I have taught in this university for 40 years. I have seen the prime minister coming here. But I have never come across any prime minister stooping so low. No one defamed Jadavpur University as part of an exercise to defame Bengal for making political gains,” Biswas told EducationWorld.

Another teacher said year after year, Jadavpur University topped the NIRF rankings. This would not have been possible without a proper academic environment.