Students of Jadavpur University held a massive protest on September 20.
In the middle of massive protests at West Bengal's prestigious Jadavpur University against the alleged molestation of a student, a Trinamool legislator, who is also West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, has suggested on Facebook that the protests are because liquor and drugs have been stopped on campus.
Adding fuel to fire, the post on Facebook by Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee says, Alcohol and drugs banned. Is that why there are protests?.
Meanwhile, Trinamool's Chattra Parishad today organized a rally against JU students, claiming that their movement was being backed by extreme Left parties. By default, the movement is acquiring political colour. The CPM says nothing is apolitical anyway. The boycott of classes at JU will continue.
Trinamool's counter rally against JU students, which took the same route as the JU rally on Saturday, condemned the agitation calling it anarchy. Strategically perhaps, not a single Trinamool banner was seen at the rally but the man in charge was Shankudeb Panda, head of the Trinamool Chattra Parishad or TMCP.
Tilak Chatterjee, Calcutta University Professor and TMC Rallyist, said, "We believe that the education institute is for education and any lawlessness would lead to anarchy."
"Students are politically motivated by a group of political persons who are working from behind," said Krishnakali Bose, President of West Bengal College & University Professors Association.
Meanwhile, the JU students continue to claim that their movement is apolitical.
"It is an opportunity for TMC to provoke the students who are part of our movement. But we will do our best to ensure we do not get provoked," said Shounak Mukhopadhyay, a student.
"Yes, as an ex-student of Jadavpur University, I agree with the views expressed. I saw a lot of it on campus," said SK Chowdhury, a Calcutta University professor and a former JU student.
But Rimi Chatterjee, a professor in the English department in JU, held up a book of poems by PC Shelley and said, "I want to thank him for making me laugh. The substance of his post was I think intoxicants have been banned and therefore the students are revolting. So I want to tell him, this is our intoxicant. Shelley."
Meanwhile, the father of the JU student who was allegedly molested on campus, met Mamata Banerjee today and was reassured that the guilty would be punished. He also arrived at the Trinamool rally to urge students to return to class, but his appeal fell on deaf ears.