Gherao of Calcutta University VC, pro-VC lifted after 16 hours

Students of Rajabazar Science College of Calcutta University has lifted the 16-hour gherao of the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro Vice-Chancellor over their demand for better campus placement following assurance from the authorities.

Later West Bengal Governor M K Naryanan, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, summoned Vice-Chancellors of Calcutta University and Jadavpur University and said that gherao could not be supported.

"The Governor agreed with our viewpoint that gherao cannot be supported. If there are demands by students, there are norms to ventilate them through democratic means. No one should take law into their own hands," Calcutta University VC Suranjan Das told reporters.

He, along with Jadavpur University VC Souvik Bhattacharya and pro-VC Siddhartha Dutta, met Narayanan at Raj Bhavan.

Das said there would be another meeting with the Governor and following discussions with him "a basic structure to deal with such a situation would be prepared.

"We expressed ourselves strongly at the way the gherao was organised by students at Jadavpur University and the Rajabazar Science College of Calcutta University," Das said.

He questioned why the West Bengal Human Rights Commission was silent when "my human rights are violated and children brought for counselling and researchers are trapped in a snap agitation".

"The WBHRC earlier took suo motu cognisance on several matters. Why did it not do so in the present case?" he asked. The WBHRC should take suo motu cognisance and inquire into the matter, he said.

The Calcutta University VC said such incidents had not The Calcutta University VC said such incidents had not taken place at the varsity in the past few years.

Following the gherao of the Jadavpur University VC by students for 51-hours, Das and pro-VC Dhrubajyoti Chatterjee were gheraoed at the Raja Bazar Science College by B Tech students since yesterday afternoon.

"They lifted the gherao this morning after more than 16 hours. The gherao started over the demand for better campus placement. When I reached the university at 7:00 PM they locked me up," Das told PTI.

"I had told them that the university is a place for study. In this scenario of economic downturn, how can we assure placements? I feel it is a ploy to malign the university," Das said.

The VC said, "There is a placement cell in Raja Bazar Science College. Though there is no placement officer at present, a professor of the college is officiating the job."

"If companies reject candidates then why should the college authorities be blamed?" he asked. The students alleged that they had not got placements and the college and university authorities were not taking any step in this regard.

PTI