A fresh political confrontation erupted at Jadavpur University in Kolkata on Saturday when graffiti commemorating a Maoist leader was painted over with saffron colour by members of a right-wing student organisation. The incident has intensified the ongoing ideological battle for symbolic space on the prestigious campus.
Clash of Colours and Ideologies
The controversy centres around graffiti near Milan Da's canteen that paid tribute to Basavraju of the CPI (Maoist). Activists from the Nationalist Students' Front (NSF) covered this graffiti with saffron paint. They also inscribed the words 'Vande Mataram' on the same wall. The NSF did not stop there; they also applied black paint over other walls on campus. These other walls featured messages reading 'Red Salute to Com Hidma, Com Raje, Com Suresh and Com Shankar and Operation Kagar'.
Justifications and Accusations
Explaining their actions, NSF's Aditya Palley stated clearly that their campus should not be a platform for glorifying Maoist ideologies. "Our campus is not for glorification of any Maoist. So we painted the graffiti with saffron and wrote 'Vande Mataram' on it," Palley said. The original graffiti, including the one of Basavraju, had been put up by the opposing Revolutionary Students' Front (RSF).
In response to the RSF's earlier actions, the Jadavpur University Teachers' Association of the CPI(M) (JUTMCP) had already lodged a formal complaint with the Vice-Chancellor. They demanded the removal of the Maoist-linked graffiti and a ban on the RSF. University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee had previously indicated that the matter would be handled as per legal protocols, stating that the law would take its course.
Cycle of Retaliation and Reclaiming Space
The conflict appears far from over. Indranuj Ray of the RSF retaliated with strong words, dismissing the NSF members as mostly suspended members of the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad). Ray issued a defiant promise, declaring, "We will reclaim the space with similar graffiti." This statement sets the stage for a potential cycle of defacement and counter-defacement on the university walls, highlighting the deep ideological divides.
The incident at Jadavpur University underscores the ongoing tension between left-wing and right-wing student groups in Indian educational institutions. It raises significant questions about freedom of expression, the use of public university space for political messaging, and the mechanisms for resolving such disputes within an academic environment.
