Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta, who on Wednesday was scheduled to give a lecture at Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, faced protests by students. Mr. Dasgupta was scheduled to deliver the lecture, ‘The CAA-2019: Understanding and Interpretation’ as a part of the lecture series of the university.
The students, who continued their protest for several hours since Wednesday afternoon, called off their ‘gheraoing’ of Mr. Dasgupta at the university around 10.30 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Dasgupta had tweeted, “How does it feel to have a mob attack a peaceful meeting on CAA and intimidation [by] students? This is what is happening to a meeting I am addressing at Vishwa Bharati now. Locked into room now with mob outside.”
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Dasgupta described the situation as “Left fascism” and said there were many who want some kind of confrontation. The venue of the lecture was Lipika auditorium but was later Social Works Department. The moment the students knew of the change of the venue they came in large numbers and gheraoed the venue. Mr. Dasgupta, who arrived at the university in the afternoon, was struck at the venue for several hours till late in the evening.
The protesting students had said they would not allow the university set up by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to be used for “furthering political interest of the party.”
“When there is a nationwide strike how can such a lecture be held at the university. Most of those who are attending the lecture are outsiders,” said Somnath Sau, a supporter of the Students Federation of India.
