An unprecedented and violent turn of events unfolded at India’s Jadavpur University, in West Bengal, on March 1, when the visiting state education minister’s car ran over students protesting the indefinite suspension of student elections.
Jadavpur University is a premier institution known for its academic excellence and strong culture of student activism.
Education Minister Bratya Basu was visiting the university’s main campus for an annual convention at its open air theatre (OAT) organised by the West Bengal College & University Professors' Association (WBCUPA), which is backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress party (TMC).
The visit soon escalated into chaos as student activists — mainly from the left — gathered outside to demand a meeting with the minister. The students are frustrated that student union elections have not been conducted at Jadavpur University since 2020, despite a 2023 directive from the Calcutta High Court mandating their resumption.
Most colleges and universities across West Bengal have not had student elections since 2017. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promised her government would start the process of student elections in August last year, but has failed to do so.
According to eyewitnesses, tensions began to rise when Basu refused to engage with the protesting students. When the minister attempted to leave the venue by car without providing any answers to the students, frustrations grew and some demonstrators reportedly began throwing bricks, blocking the minister’s vehicle, and refusing to give way.
In the ensuing chaos, the minister's car ran over Indranuj Roy, a student and member of the Revolutionary Students’ Front. Roy sustained severe eye injuries after being trapped under the vehicle’s wheels. Students claim that the car did not stop and sped away, further angering the protesters.
A second student, Abhinaba Basu, a member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), alleged that another car, carrying Om Prakash Mishra, a TMC leader and professor at Jadavpur University, ran over his foot as it followed behind the education minister’s car.
The allegation has fueled further outrage, with student organisations labelling the actions reckless and inhumane.
Several students have also accused individuals associated with TMC of instigating violence against the protesters. Arpita, a student and a member of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), said: “When we were outside OAT, professors and TMC-affiliated hooligans began throwing water bottles and chairs at us. They hurled abuses while we stood there peacefully protesting.”
Another protester, philosophy student Anugna Roy, alleged that Mishra ordered his driver to run over students who attempted to block the path of the car. “He then got out of the vehicle, punched me in the face, and assaulted other comrades who were present,” she claimed. She went to the police station to make a statement about the assault and said that while TMC-affiliated personnel received preferential treatment, she and other students faced delays and discrimination in lodging their complaints.
The lack of student elections has been widely criticised by opposition student groups, who argue that it is a deliberate attempt by the ruling party to suppress student voices and maintain control over university affairs. They claim that the absence of an elected student body has left critical student issues unaddressed and has weakened the tradition of democratic representation within educational institutions.
In response to the Jadavpur protests, Basu defended the government’s stance and shifted the blame onto the students, saying: “The windshield of my car was shattered, and bricks were hurled at the vehicle. A group of students created extreme chaos … The students tried to provoke us. They want anarchy. Would they dare to do this in a BJP-ruled state?”
The Jadavpur University Contract Workers Union (JUCWU) also condemned the violence against students and criticised the education minister's response. Solidarity has poured in from various universities, organisations, civil society groups and human rights bodies, including the Bangladesh Students’ Union, in support of the Jadavpur University students.
Dey, a former Jadavpur University student, highlighted broader concerns about the state of higher education in India, linking the incident to a larger pattern of repression against students.
“Universities across India are facing increasing state repression against student activism. This impacts those who raise concerns about the failing education system. Funding cuts in higher education, the introduction of the NEP [National Education Policy], and the discontinuation of the Maulana Azad Scholarship [for students from identified minorities] are further deteriorating the Indian education system,” he said.
Dey also criticised the mainstream media, particularly news channel Republic Bangla, for allegedly running biased reports targeting dissenting students, emphasising the need for alternative media voices to highlight student concerns.
Riya Jana, a student of the Film Studies department at Jadavpur University, criticised the TMC government for allegedly adopting tactics similar to the BJP’s governance in other states. “They are no different from the BJP,” she asserted, reflecting growing frustration among students towards the ruling party’s policies.
The Jadavpur University students’ union has called for Basu’s immediate resignation, labeling his actions as an unjustifiable act of violence. With mounting pressure from various student organisations and activists, the incident is expected to have far-reaching political and academic repercussions.
As tensions remain high, Jadavpur University is once again at the center of a larger battle over student rights, government accountability and the freedom to dissent within educational institutions.