The presence of Vice-Chancellors of State Universities at a sit-in demonstration against the amended citizenship law organised by the students’ wing of the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday triggered a controversy with the Opposition raising questions on their conduct.
Three Vice-Chancellors – Subiresh Bhattacharya of North Bengal University, Dipak Kar of Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University and Deb Kumar Mulhopadhyay of Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University – were present at the agitation organised by the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad, which entered its fifth day on Tuesday.
Later in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also visited the demonstration site on Rani Rashmoni Avenue and said she was happy to receive inputs from experts on the protests against CAA.
The presence of the Vice-Chancellors at the protest raised eyebrows as only a day ago as they had given a meeting called by Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar a miss. Mr. Dhankhar, who was upset with the development, said educational institutions and universities were being dismantled “brick by brick”.
