Students protest at Jadavpur University continues for second day

Kolkata, Jan 16 : Protesting the provisions of a bill that allegedly seeks an apolitical students' union, students of Jadavpur University continued their sit-in for the second day on Tuesday.

Students allege that the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Bill 2017 is an attempt to dissolve students' union.

The protestors were seen sitting in front of the meeting room of the Executive Council members on Tuesday, demanding immediate revocation of the bill which was passed in the West Bengal Assembly last year.

"This (the sit-in) will continue till the Vice Chancellor takes steps to ensure the students' union elections are held before January 31," an Arts Faculty Students' Union (AFSU) leader said.

The sit-in involving AFSU and Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students Union (FETSU) started on Monday afternoon.

"We have nothing to do with the bill. We have already communicated the sentiments of students to the Higher Education Department," VC Suranjan Das had said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's picture on a hoarding was found defaced inside the campus -- an act condemned by the VC as well as the agitating students.

Last year in August, students had conducted a similar movement against the VC and other Executive Council (EC) members on the same issue for over 36 hours.