Calcutta varsity VC says heckling pre-planned, instigated by outsiders

A day after being heckled during a demonstration by students of a women's college, Calcutta University vice chancellor Sugato Marjit on Wednesday alleged that the incident was "instigated" by outsiders and appeared "pre-planned".

Marjit regretted that it was a result of a "political culture" continuing for long.

"They way they aggressively pounced on me, it appeared pre-planned. I clearly feel outsiders had a role to play in this.

"The misbehaviour was instigated. It is a result of the political culture going on for long. A strong signal should go that it is not right to misbehave with the vice chancellor," he said.

The vice chancellor, who was pushed and shoved by two students within the premises of the Vivekananda College for Women on Tuesday, said a boy had initially stopped his car.

"The first person to stop my car was not a woman, he was a boy. He was clicking photos and did not allow my car to move."

Meanwhile, college principal Soma Bhattacharya claimed the boy had identified himself as a "soldier of (West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee".

She also corroborated Marjit's remarks that outsiders were involved.

"We have identified one of the girls. She does not belong to our college."

The students were holding the demonstration demanding that 65 of them who had failed to clear the second year examination should be promoted to the next class.