SRFTI Students, RSS-Body Clash Over Campus Event

The ABGP state wing, Paschim Banga Pranta, organised a seminar at the main auditorium on the SRFTI campus at Panchasayar off EM Bypass in the city at around 12 pm for consumer awareness and membership drive. ABGP state president Pankaj Roy alleged that when the event was underway, a group of students stormed the venue, removed the organisation’s posters and disrupted the flow with their protests.

He claimed, “We don’t know why it happened though the auditorium was booked with full payment. None from the authorities were available there also.” The incident took place days after the SRFTI got a new vice chancellor, Santosh Ajmera, an Indian Information Service officer. SRFTI students’ union however stated, “The Student Union and the student body were not informed about the event before permission was granted.”

It said, “At around 2:00 PM, students went to the Main Theatre to put up posters questioning the Institute’s decision to allow such an event without informing the student community. The ABGP members present at the venue confronted the students and attempted to remove them from the theatre. The situation then escalated into physical violence against students.”

According to the student’s union, “Students were verbally abused, including being called “anti-national” and “cockroaches”. Members of the group then physically attacked students, including women students, using punches, kicks, stones, bricks, sticks and other objects. Students were chased through the campus, including students who were not part of the protest and were simply carrying out their academic work.”

It added, “Several students sought shelter inside the library. The group followed them there, and the librarian was also assaulted. The library was surrounded, leaving students and staff in a situation of fear inside their own institute. Students were also chased, their clothes were torn, and there were incidents of phones being forcibly taken. Violence was directed at students across the campus, not merely at those who had put up the posters.”

The Students Union also mentioned that it later “alerted the student body and students gathered at the Main Theatre. The ABGP members were driven out of the theatre.” Though a large contingent of police led by senior officers rushed to SRFTI after getting information, they could not enter the campus till evening as the agitating students already locked the gate from inside.

Mr Roy said, “Our workers, including many women, could not leave the campus. Sitting in a bus, they remained stuck inside for hours.” After 7 pm a senior police officer was seen scaling and crossing the gate for entry amidst students shouting ‘RSS, Go Back’ slogans. Later some injured were taken out in an ambulance escorted by the police.