Jadavpur University: Sit-in-demonstration called off after 2 days

Demanding the publication of notification for students' union election, which was scheduled to be held on Feb 18, students of Jadavpur University had gheraoed the Vice-Chancellor, registrar, Executive Council (EC) members and other staff since Friday evening.

They had also started sit-in-demonstration in front of university's main administrative building- Aurobindo Bhavan.

Few days earlier, JU authority sent a letter to West Bengal government's education department, seeking permission to host students' union election on Feb 18, which was rejected.

The WB government has already notified all universities and colleges not to host union polls in January and February.

However,  students demanded university authority to hold a trilateral meeting with Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, where students' representatives will also be present.

Students on Saturday called off their gherao but announced to continue the sit-in-demonstration. VC Suranjan Das and other officials decided not to leave the campus until the situation becomes normal.

On Sunday, Chancellor Keshari Nath Tripathi has given his appointment to hold the meeting at 3:30 pm. on Monday.

After receiving the confirmation from VC, students lifted their sit-in-demonstration and left campus.

One protesting student, Aritra Majumder told IBNS, "Our first demand has been fulfilled. Our six elected representatives from three unions will be present at the trilateral meeting with the Chancellor tomorrow at Raj Bhaban. After the meeting, we will call our General Body (GB)'s meeting here to decide the next step. We have decided to lift the sit-in-demonstration for now."

VC and other officials also left the campus after the demonstration was called off.

JU VC Suranjan Das told IBNS, "Six students' representatives, our university's representatives and two Executive Council (EC) members will be present at the meeting with Chancellor/Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi tomorrow at Raj Bhaban, which is scheduled to be started at 3:30 pm. Hope, a solution will come out in the meeting."

Meanwhile, VC Suranjan Das felt sick on Sunday and doctors checked him up inside his office. Due to the gherao and demonstration, JU authority decided to cancel their China trip, where two Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) were scheduled to be signed with two Chinese universities.

However, the conduction of students' union election in Jadavpur University and the future of students' movement there are depending on Monday's meeting in the presence of state's first citizen. 

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)