VU students yet to follow JU footsteps
- The Statesman
- 02 Nov 2014
Unions haven’t raised voices over campus surveillance
biswabrata goswami
Midnapore, 1 NoV: At a time when JU students are holding referendum on issues ranging from the Vice-Chancellor’s continuation to campus surveillance, not a single protest, even by the students’ unions like SFI or DSO, against the introduction of campus surveillance by checking identity cards at Vidyasagar University has been organised yet.
Interestingly, hundreds of VU students have, however, extended their moral support to the students’ movement at JU either on Facebook or other media.
Under the direction of the present vice-chancellor, Profe-
ssor Ranjan Chakrabarti, himself a professor of History at Jadavpur University, a notice was issued by the acting registrar of VU on 26 May, 2014 (Memo No.VU/R/Noti./656/2014), which stated that ‘the bona fide students of Vidyasagar University are advised to enter into the university premises showing their identity proof issued by the university authority.’
In the notice it was further mentioned that ‘if any unauthorised person(s) are found moving in the different sections of the university, necessary disciplinary/legal action will be taken against them as per the university rules.’
The lone voice of protest was heard from Dr Abhijit Guha, a teacher of the Anthropology department of Vidyasagar University, who wrote a letter to the registrar on 27 May pointing out the fact that the ‘university campus is a public space owned, maintained and funded by the public authorities of the country and it was not declared as a restricted area by any authority.’
Dr Guha also pointed out that there is a nationalised bank, a post office and other public utility facilities within the campus of Vidyasagar University and the aforesaid notice may prohibit the public who do not officially belong to the university. He requested the registrar to revise the notice in the interest of the public.
The reply of the registrar of VU to Dr Guha foreshadowed the attitude of the present authorities of Jadavpur University who had recently issued orders by which entry of any person in the campus would be under strict surveillance. On 30 May, Dr JK Nandi the acting registrar of VU, categorically replied to Dr Guha that ‘a university campus is not a “public place” as it is used to define national highways, roads/streets, railway or bus stations, parks or any other open space used by the public at large.’
The registrar of Vidyasagar University also stated that ‘most universities of India are enclosed spaces’ and the persons using the bank or the post office of the university campus are ‘visitors’(read ‘outsiders’) and there should be certain restrictions in the entry of those persons for the protection of the valuable properties of the university.
An SFI student (who is not wished to be named) said, “We have no organisational strength to arrange a protest against the decision here, so we have supported the JU students who are fighting for the same issue in their varsity.”
biswabrata goswami
Midnapore, 1 NoV: At a time when JU students are holding referendum on issues ranging from the Vice-Chancellor’s continuation to campus surveillance, not a single protest, even by the students’ unions like SFI or DSO, against the introduction of campus surveillance by checking identity cards at Vidyasagar University has been organised yet.
Interestingly, hundreds of VU students have, however, extended their moral support to the students’ movement at JU either on Facebook or other media.
Under the direction of the present vice-chancellor, Profe-
ssor Ranjan Chakrabarti, himself a professor of History at Jadavpur University, a notice was issued by the acting registrar of VU on 26 May, 2014 (Memo No.VU/R/Noti./656/2014), which stated that ‘the bona fide students of Vidyasagar University are advised to enter into the university premises showing their identity proof issued by the university authority.’
In the notice it was further mentioned that ‘if any unauthorised person(s) are found moving in the different sections of the university, necessary disciplinary/legal action will be taken against them as per the university rules.’
The lone voice of protest was heard from Dr Abhijit Guha, a teacher of the Anthropology department of Vidyasagar University, who wrote a letter to the registrar on 27 May pointing out the fact that the ‘university campus is a public space owned, maintained and funded by the public authorities of the country and it was not declared as a restricted area by any authority.’
Dr Guha also pointed out that there is a nationalised bank, a post office and other public utility facilities within the campus of Vidyasagar University and the aforesaid notice may prohibit the public who do not officially belong to the university. He requested the registrar to revise the notice in the interest of the public.
The reply of the registrar of VU to Dr Guha foreshadowed the attitude of the present authorities of Jadavpur University who had recently issued orders by which entry of any person in the campus would be under strict surveillance. On 30 May, Dr JK Nandi the acting registrar of VU, categorically replied to Dr Guha that ‘a university campus is not a “public place” as it is used to define national highways, roads/streets, railway or bus stations, parks or any other open space used by the public at large.’
The registrar of Vidyasagar University also stated that ‘most universities of India are enclosed spaces’ and the persons using the bank or the post office of the university campus are ‘visitors’(read ‘outsiders’) and there should be certain restrictions in the entry of those persons for the protection of the valuable properties of the university.
An SFI student (who is not wished to be named) said, “We have no organisational strength to arrange a protest against the decision here, so we have supported the JU students who are fighting for the same issue in their varsity.”
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