Hundreds of students were seen crowding at the gates of the Jadavpur University as the ABVP held a protest outside.
Tension peaked 200 metres from Jadavpur University in Kolkata on Monday as slogan-shouting members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad or ABVP tried to march to the varsity gates but were stopped by a huge police presence.
Hundreds of ABVP activists were seen crowding at the first of four police barricades. Some jostled with the police. Others climbed barricades and tried to jump across.
The ABVP, affiliated to BJP's ideological mentor RSS, was protesting clashes that had erupted at the university on Friday -- first over screening of the controversial film Buddha in a Traffic Jam and then over claims that ABVP men had molested girls on campus.
Addressing the ABVP workers, state secretary Subir Halder threatened to "chop off" the legs of Left students. "The Leftists have turned the university into a den of anti-national activities. We will not allow this... If these Leftists dare to venture out of the university, we will chop off their legs," he said.
Students of the Jadavpur University crowded at their gate during the police-ABVP stand-off. "They wanted to come here and attack us. They were stopped by the police today. They will try again and we will be at this gate, ready and waiting," said Sounak Mukhopadhyay, a JU student leader.
Some students also criticised Bengal governor and University Chancellor KN Tripathi for saying JU was becoming a centre of disturbance. "Political statements at a time like this are unfortunate," student leader Shraman said.
On Friday, the vice-chancellor had rushed to the university gate to prevent clashes between students and BJP supporters led by Roopa Ganguly. The BJP wanted four ABVP men, detained for molestation, released.
The molestation allegedly took place during protests by students against the screening of controversial film Buddha in a traffic jam on campus without university permission.
The trouble began in February, when the students almost came to blows with the ABVP supporters, who were holding a march outside campus to protest against the university students' support for JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar.
The state BJP leader said the university had become a hub of anti-nationals.