Ignoring denial of permission, students celebrate Ram Navami in Bengal's Jadavpur University

IANS April 6, 2025 234 views

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) boldly celebrated Ram Navami inside Jadavpur University, despite explicit denial of permission from university authorities. The celebration occurred in a campus traditionally considered a stronghold of Left-affiliated student groups, creating significant political tension. ABVP activists argued that if Iftar can be celebrated on campus, Ram Navami should be equally permissible. The state has simultaneously established a 24-hour "peace room" to monitor potential tensions arising from religious celebrations across West Bengal.

"JU is not outside West Bengal. Most students are participating spontaneously." - Debanjan Pal, ABVP Kolkata District Secretary
Kolkata, April 6: Ignoring the denial of permission by the authorities, the activists of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), on Sunday, celebrated Ram Navami within the campus of Jadavpur University (JU), which is considered a stronghold of student wings affiliated to the Left forces.

Key Points

1

ABVP brings Ram idol to campus after permission denial

2

University authorities passed resolution against celebration

3

Governor removed acting VC last month

4

24-hour peace room established to monitor situation

The authorities on Saturday said that since the university is currently running in a headless state, following the removal of the erstwhile acting vice-chancellor Bhaskar Gupta by Governor C.V. Ananda Bose last month, they are not in a position to grant permission to celebrate Ram Navami within the campus.

The Governor, also the chancellor of all state universities, including JU, removed Gupta from the chair, while exercising his powers. Besides denying permission to celebrate Ram Navami within the campus, the university authorities also passed a resolution on the matter.

However, on Saturday only, the ABVP activists said that despite the denial of permission they were determined to celebrate Ram Navami within the campus. Accordingly, an idol of Lord Ram was brought to the campus in the night.

According to the Kolkata district secretary of ABVP, Debanjan Pal, if Iftar can be celebrated within the JU campus, there should not be any problem in celebrating Ram Navami there.

"The denial of permission by the university authorities was a one-sided decision. However, we were determined to go ahead with our scheduled programme despite the denial of permission, which we are doing. JU is not outside West Bengal. Barring some students affiliated with the ultra-Left forces, most students are participating in the celebration spontaneously," said Pal.

Meanwhile, a 24-hour "peace room" was opened at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata on Sunday to get ground-level information on the situations prevailing over the Ram Navami processions in different pockets of the state. The common people have also been informed about a special helpline number and an email attached to the said "peace room" through which any information of tension over the processions can be reported immediately.

A separate team has been created whose members will be in the peace room around the clock and monitor the situation on a real-time basis.

Reader Comments

P
Priya M.
While I understand the enthusiasm for celebrating festivals, ignoring university rules sets a bad precedent. There should be equal treatment for all religious events on campus. The authorities need to establish clear guidelines.
R
Rahul K.
Jai Shri Ram! 🙏 It's heartening to see students standing up for their beliefs. If other religious events are allowed, why not Hindu festivals? The double standards need to stop.
A
Amit S.
The peace room initiative by Raj Bhavan is a good step. At least someone is trying to maintain harmony during these sensitive times. Hope it helps prevent any untoward incidents.
S
Sneha P.
As a JU alumna, this makes me sad. Our campus was always about unity in diversity. Now it's becoming a battleground for political ideologies. Can't we just respect each other's spaces?
V
Vikram D.
The university administration is clearly in chaos after VC's removal. This power vacuum is being exploited by all sides. Need strong leadership to handle such situations properly.
N
Neha R.
Celebrating festivals is wonderful, but doing it against rules creates unnecessary tension. There are so many temples nearby where they could have celebrated peacefully. Why force it on campus? 🤔

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Ram Navami Jadavpur University ABVP West Bengal Politics Student Protests Religious Celebration
You May Like!