Mamata's picture defaced in Kolkata varsity campus

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's picture on a hoarding was found defaced on Tuesday inside the Jadavpur University campus where students are on a protest against a bill seeking to regulate administration of state varsities and colleges.

The act of vandalism drew condemnation from University Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das and state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee as well as the agitating students.

"We are condemning this act. This is against the spirit of democracy," Das said, while the students also said this was against the spirit of their movement.

There were also scribbles in black ink mocking a message on the hoarding, put up by the ruling Trinamool Congress-affiliated teaching and non-teaching staff wing of the university thanking the Chief Minister for announcing Rs 100 crore grant for JU recently.

The students of the university have launched a sit-in since Monday night, protesting the provisions of the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Bill 2017 that allegedly seeks an apolitical students' union but students allege is an attempt to dissolve students' union.

The Vice Chancellor was confined in the administrative building of the university along with other Executive Council members.

--IANS

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