Jadavpur clash: Guv Dhankar contradicts with TMC statement, says had talk with CM Mamata

After Dhankar went to JU and got Supriyo in his own car, Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee said in a statement that the state government was not consulted.

A statement issued by the Raj Bhavan, which is the Governor's House, says on Friday, "Before his visit to the University, the Governor and Chancellor, exhausted all possible avenues that could bring an end to the unsavoury spectacle by flagging the issue to the DGP and the Chief Secretary.

As a final step before going, the Governor/Chancellor took initiative in connecting with the Hon’ble Chief Minister, West Bengal, and duly apprised her of the grave situation and the consequences it may entail............. he left for the place after sufficient time had elapsed and the situation did not show any change."

The statement further said, "In discharge of his duty both as Chancellor of the University and Governor of the State, he felt it necessary to visit the University and all agencies required to be kept in the loop were informed.

It is unfortunate that the Secretary General of the All India Trinamool Congress, through a press release yesterday, has stated that the Governor did not inform the Government and has not taken the State Govt into confidence before making a visit. Obviously he did not know of the developments that took place between the Governor and the DGP/CS as also the conversation with the Hon’ble Chief Minister.

The stand in the release is factually incorrect."

Dhankhar on Thursday also spoken to the Vice-Chancellor of the University Suranjan Das and said it was improper of him to not have taken any prompt action in the matter.

"Governor spoke to the VC of Jadavpur University and indicated to him that it was improper for him not to have taken prompt steps in the matter, that can lead to unwholesome results," the statement said.

What happened?

Babul Supriyo, who belongs to the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), faced massive protest by the students of Jadavpur University on Thursday after being heckled earlier in the day for entering the campus with an armed force to attend a programme by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS.

Not only was he heckled but had been gheraoed by members of two Left-leaning organizations - Arts Faculty Students' Union (AFSU) and Students Federation of India - (SFI).

Following the news of harassment of Supriyo, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar rushed to the campus to 'save' the BJP MP.

Although he managed to rescue the BJP leader but had to sit inside his car with Supriyo for a long time.

His convoy finally managed to leave the campus.

As he enetered the campus, Supriyo was shown black flags and allegedly heckled by a section of students at JU.

"I did not come here to do politics. But I am saddened by the behaviour of some of the students of the university, the way they have heckled me. They pulled me by my hair and pushed me," Supriyo told reporters visiting the campus.

BJP leader and designer Aginimtra Paul was reportedly manhandled as well. She alleged that the protesters pulled her hair and even tried to remove her saree.

In retaliation to the demonstration by SFI, ABVP students went on a rampage and damaged several university properties including a union’s office.

A large contingent of police force ruched to the spot even as the agitators refused to budge on their decision.

Meanwhile, JU Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das, who rushed to the spot following the incident, had tried to reason with both the agitating students and Supriyo.

But as the situation turned grim, he fell sick and was taken to a hospital.

Image Credit: UNI