In the middle of massive protests at West Bengal’s prestigious Jadavpur University, the state government has set up a panel to investigate the alleged molestation of a student, which triggered the crisis.
The panel headed by the Calcutta University Vice Chancellor, has been asked to submit a report in 72 hours.
Students of Jadavpur University have held protests to demand an impartial probe into the alleged molestation of a second year student by boys from the college.
They were upset with the ongoing investigation in the college and alleged that two members had visited the girl at home and asked inappropriate questions.
When the university refused to remove the two members, the students last week stepped up their protests and surrounded the office of the Vice Chancellor, whose call to the police led to a midnight crackdown in which students were allegedly dragged and manhandled.
Two days after students and their sympathisers took out a march in the city – one of the biggest non-political rallies in recent times – a post on the Facebook page of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamool Member of Parliament Abhishek Banerjee seemed to mock the protest rally.
The post questioned the motive behind the protests, saying, “Liquor, ganja, charas stopped.
Is that why the smell of protest?”
The ruling Trinamool Congress is all set to take out a counter-rally today, but neither leaders of the party nor its flags and banners will make an appearance. Instead, the rally will be led by academicians and intellectuals considered close to the party.
