Tension outside Visva-Bharati as SFI demonstrates over seminar

Kolkata: Tension was palpable at the main gate of the Visva-Bharati on Friday as the SFI held a protest against a programme organised by the varsity in collaboration with an organisation helmed by a BJP leader.

SFI's Visva-Bharati unit secretary Pratyush Mukherjee said the Left-wing organisation will continue to resist attempts to "saffronise" the campus.

The CPI(M)-backed SFI was protesting against a lecture organised at the Lipika Auditorium by the varsity's Bhasa Bhavana and Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, which is helmed by BJP leader Anirban Ganguly.

The lecture was organised to celebrate the granting of classical language status to Bengali, Marathi, Assamese, Pali and Prakrit.

Mukherjee said the topic of the programme was welcome but not the organiser.

The SFI alleged that as they raised slogans near the main gate, they were assaulted by the varsity's security personnel.

"We were beaten up by security personnel though we were holding a peaceful protest. Visva-Bharati should not be turned into the turf of saffron forces," an SFI activist said.

Ganguly, who also faced protests while entering the campus, told reporters, "This is not a political event. We will not discuss politics here." Visva-Bharati registrar Ashok Mahato told PTI, "We don't have any information about any protest inside the venue. If any protests take place outside the gate, I cannot comment on it."