File Photo: Jadavpur University
Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das remained under gherao for more than 24 hours since last night by a group of students who insisted on holding of student union polls next month.
The protests began on Friday evening after which the VC, Registrar Pradip Ghosh and senior officials of the state-run varsity were not allowed to leave their offices by the squattors.
All of them spent the Friday night in the campus and things were not resolved till Saturday night as students sat outside the office shouting slogans and raising placards.
"I believe in democratic rights but none of the rights are absolute and we all have to follow the Constitution and the legal framework. We will send the Chancellor a letter on the demands of the students. He is not in town now. After he comes we will meet him," Mr Das told reporters from his office.
He said he has already appealed to the students to lift the agitation.
"I hope that things will soon be sorted out with the students. I am trying to negotiate with them," Mr Das said.
The higher education department had recently issued an advisory to the state-run varsity saying that to avoid any disturbance during exams of different boards student elections should not be held in February.
Protesting against this, a small group of students from the university gheraoed the VC and other officials.
The students said they want the VC to notify on their behalf that elections would be held on time.
State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said the students are not concentrating on their coming exams and holding protests which the government is not supporting.
Describing the students' agitation as a use of force over the University administration, the Minister expressed hope that good sense would prevail among the agitating students.
On many earlier occasions the group of students have similarly gheraoed the VC over various campus issues.
In 2014, Mr Das's predecessor Abhijit Chakrabarti was gheraoed demanding a fresh probe panel in the alleged sexual harassment of a girl student. Fearing threat to life, he called police inside the campus which triggered a huge furore and the VC was forced to resign by the students.