SFI activists confine MP Swapan Dasgupta, Visva Bharati VC

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta and Visva Bharati University Vice Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty, who were scheduled to attend a lecture series on the Citizenship Amendment Act, were on Wednesday confined by CPI-M affiliated Students Federation of India (SFI) activists at the social work department in Sreeniketan, some distance away from the main campus in Shantiniketan in Birbhum district.

Speaking to mediapersons from inside the locked room, Dasgupta dubbed the chain of events as "Left fascism".

In a tweet, the journalist-turned-politician said that nearly 70 persons have been locked in a room "for the crime of attending an official, university-convened lecture by me on CAA."

"This includes the VC. There is a howling mob outside itching for confrontation," the tweet read.

BJP leader Dudhkumar Mondal was also holed up alongside Dasgupta and the Vice Chancellor.

The students sought apologies from Dasgupta and Chakraborty for organising a "divisive programme" without holding discussions with them and demanded the VC's resignation.

Describing the happenings as "anarchy", "failure of law and order" and "worrisome", Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar called up the state police Director General Virendra and asked him to take "swift, necessary steps".

The situation turned volatile when Dasgupta arrived on Visva Bharati campus to deliver the lecture on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act. The SFI activists raised 'go back' slogans against Dasgupta, and surrounded his car to stall the programme at the Lipika Auditorium.

The authorities then shifted the programme to the social work department in Sreeniketan. But the SFI activists reached there too and began a sit-in protest. They locked the gate of the department, confining Dasgupta, Chakraborty and a few other officials inside.

Amidst shouts of "chi chi" (shame shame) and go back from the protesting students, Dasgupta said he had come to the university at the invitation of the Vice Chancellor.

"It was not a party or political platform. It was a programme as part of a lecture series. Now if somebody wants to attack this, I will say it is a reflection of their mental thought process and shows they are not interested in a democratic discussion.

"Everybody has a democratic right to express his point of view. I had expected a good debate, and also wanted those opposed to the legislation to put forth their stand.

"The Vice Chancellor also wanted this. But that was not to be. You can see for yourself what is happening. I will only say the desire to have a monologue is nothing but Left fascism," said the journalist-turned-politician.

Dhankhar took to Twitter to express his concern.

"Talked to DGP Virendra Kumar about serious situation of confinement of Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta along with VC Visva Bharati and many others for several hours, and urged him to take swiftly necessary steps. Such anarchy and failure of law and order is worrisome," he tweeted.

In another tweet, Dhankhar expressed "serious concern" over governance taking a "back seat" in the state.

"The incident is reflective of worsening situation of law and order in the state. It is of serious concern that governance is taking a back seat. Time to take a serious look at this," he said.

Asked whether he would talk to the agitating students, Dasgupta said: "Of course we can if things are arranged in a civilised way."

Justifying the decision to relocate the programme, he said, "I was against any confrontation. Lot of people want confrontation. But it is better to avoid that".

A representative of SFI said that they had organised a "peaceful protest gathering" at Lipika Auditorium against Dasgupta's lecture.

"The students took a stand against this clearly biased propaganda being spread in a place which was home to Rabindranath Tagore," she said.

The students vowed to spend the night in the locked room pledging not to allow any food from outside for Dasgupta, Chakraborty and others there.

They also alleged that "goons" from the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had assembled outside the department.

"We will stay put in this area, though we are not feeling safe here. We won't allow outside food for the members here," said the SFI representative going live on Facebook.

Meanwhile, BJP General Secretary in-charge of the state, Kailash Vijayvargiya, warned Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the consequences will be "severe" if anything happened to Dasgupta.

"SFI and Trinamool miscreants have confined Dasgupta and the Vice Chancellor. The police are nowhere to be seen. I want to warn Mamata ji and her administration that if anything happens to Dasgupta ji, the consequences wIll be very severe.

"He must be protected. I appeal to Mamata ji and her administration to ensure his security," Vijayvargiya said.

( With inputs from IANS )