On Wednesday night, January 4, 2023, at Shantiniketan in Birbhum, students of Visva Bharati University participated in a protest rally showing solidarity with the suspended students. A section of students has been protesting on the campus since November alleging denial of hostel accommodation to some people. suspension of his associates and six others. , Photo Credit: PTI
Over 250 academicians, including noted linguist Noam Chomsky, have written to President Draupadi Murmu informing about the termination of Visva Bharati professor Sudipta Bhattacharya for “undesirable” actions and sought his intervention.
In the letter, dated January 9, the action by Visva Bharati has been brazenly described as “illegal”, arguing that no proper inquiry was conducted by the university to verify the “list of malpractices”, as stated on various occasions Allegedly done by Mr. Bhattacharya. ,
A copy of the letter has been provided to PTI,
The letter to the President states that Mr. Bhattacharya was informed about the “termination of service/contract with Visva Bharati” at the Central University’s Executive Council meeting on December 22.
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“A series of misconducts have been listed without specifying the dates and other details of the incident or the specific actions for which Professor Bhattacharya has been alleged. It is clear that strict disciplinary action would be initiated by the University authorities against any No proper investigation was done before doing so.” University professors and office bearers of the Faculty Association.
“Neither has a show-cause notice been issued to the professor concerned,” the letter, undersigned by Mr Chomsky, economist Amiya Bagchi, former director of the Center for Social Science Studies Partha Chatterjee, XLRI professor Sumit Sarkar and Jadavpur University, said. Emeritus Professor Supriya Chowdhary and others.
It pointed out that the termination order for Mr. Bhattacharya is an indication that the norms, laws and procedures governing Visva Bharati “are being violated under the present leadership.” Vice Chancellor Vidyut Chakraborty,
“As the Visitor of Visva Bharati and the custodian of the Rules and Ordinance of the University, we request you to kindly intervene and ensure that this institution of national importance established by Rabindranath Tagore promotes the spirit of ‘where the mind is without’. Instead of getting into the saga of vendetta, intimidation and high-handedness by the authorities, fear’.
On contacting Mr. Bhattacharya he told PTI That faculty members contacted Mr. Chomsky and informed him of the development, after which the linguist and social critic expressed solidarity with him.
However, Visva Bharati officials refused to comment on the matter.
A section of students has been protesting on the campus since November allegedly over denial of hostel accommodation to some of their fellow students and suspension of six others.
The convocation ceremony and the annual Poush Mela (a fair held in the Bengali month of Poush) have been called off by the university in the wake of the unrest.
In a media statement last week, a Visva Bharati spokesperson listed a series of alleged activities by students, such as vandalism in the vice-chancellor’s chamber and ante-chamber, vandalism of CCTV monitors, physical assault on the vice-chancellor, and assault on the registrar. private residence and official home of the VC, and said the varsity would take legally backed steps, including expulsions and dismissals, to restore peace on campus.
The university statement read, “…the so-called student movement is nothing but a brazen display of thuggery. The outright attitude that characterizes this self-proclaimed democratic movement is unacceptable and will be dealt with strictly.”