Jadavpur students to seek guidance from overseas alumni

Jadavpur University students, protesting the alleged police attack on them, Monday decided to continue their class boycott and seek suggestions from its alumni across the world on their agitation's future course via an international video conferencing.

In a general body meeting Monday led by Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union (FETSU) of the university, it was decided that the academic boycott will not be called off until the university authorities agree to their demands for resignation of Vice Chancellor Abhijit Chakraborty and a fresh impartial probe into the alleged molestation of a woman student last month.

"We will not cancel the boycotts unless our demands are met."

"In addition, we will hear out the alumni spread across the world, including India, to evolve our future course of action. We know alumni from the US, Britain, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia have expressed solidarity. We will ask them their views and opinions and decide how they can participate. The video-conference will be held from our campus 5 p.m. onwards today (Monday)," said FETSU chief Chironjit Ghosh.

He said the students will spearhead a "citizens' convention" Wednesday at 12 p.m. where they have urged supporters from all walks of life, including intellectuals, to participate.

On Saturday, thousands marched in the heavy rain in unison with the varsity students in a massive rally which culminated in a delegation meeting West Bengal Governor K.N. Tripathi, the ex-officiao chancellor of the university, to seek his intervention.

"On Thursday, we have called another mammoth rally where a delegation will meet the police at Lal Bazaar headquarters and submit a memorandum seeking withdrawal of the cases against 36 students who were arrested," Ghosh said.

"In addition, we will also seek justice for the people from other colleges who wanted to participate in the movement but were attacked and deterred. We have heard that many wanted to join our rally but were not allowed," he added.

While the university formed a panel to investigate the alleged incident of a female student being dragged into the boys' hostel and molested last month, the students have been demanding an independent probe panel.

Several students were injured in a police crackdown here Wednesday when they were demonstrating against acting vice-chancellor Chakrabarty, seeking a fresh probe. The violent crackdown has led to students demanding Chakrabarty's removal.

The victim's father has alleged non-cooperation from Chakrabarty.