Calcutta HC Directs Students To Not Obstruct Functioning Of Visva Bharati University, Grants Police Protection To Management

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday extended police protection to the Registrar, Assistant Registrar and the management of the Visva Bharati University so that they are able to carry out their day to day duties inside the campus without any obstruction from the agitating students. 

Reportedly, more than 200 students are currently protesting inside the University campus demanding the immediate reopening of hostels and the conduct of online examinations. The students have been demanding that hostels be reopened for students, hailing from across West Bengal and other states, who have to spend huge sums on accommodation in Bolpur town. They also sought that pending semester examinations of undergraduate and post-graduate students be held online as the curriculum was taught in that mode for the last two years.

The University filed the instant plea before Justice Rajasekhar Mantha alleging that students are conducting an agitation inside the University which is disturbing its normal functioning. Directing the students to not obstruct the management in any way and further granting police protection to the management, the Court underscored, 

"The Officer-in-charge, Santiniketan Police Station and S.P., Birbhum shall ensure and take all necessary steps so that the Registrar and Assistant Registrar and the Management of the University, are not in any way obstructed from performing their day to day functions or moving freely in the University campus and outside. This Court also directs the students in the University not to obstruct the Management in any way and ensure that the aforesaid order is complied with."
 

Advocate Soumya Majumder appearing for the University apprised the Court that the Registrar and Assistant Registrar of the Visva Bharati University have been gheraoed and are being prevented from free ingress and egress out of their offices within the University. He also submitted that the students are demonstrating and agitating everywhere and are also lying on the access pathways to such buildings.

Advocate Soumitra Mukherjee appearing for the State further submitted that the Registrar and Assistant Registrar had to crawl out their office building but could not do so.

On the other hand, senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharyya submitted that the students are agitating against the University for not reopening the hostels. He also denied all allegations against his client. 

Pursuant to the perusal of the rival submissions, the Court directed the concerned respondents to file their affidavit-in-opposition within 10 days. Reply if any was directed to be filed three days thereafter.

The matter is slated to be heard next on March 17. 

Case Title: Visva Bharati & Anr v. State of West Bengal & Ors

Click Here To Read/Download Order