The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Jadavpur University unit apologised for a post on its Facebook page that was put up calling students, running a community kitchen, "leftists who are spreading the Chinese virus by organising picnics". A previous post was put up by a "miscreant" who must have had access to the page, said the ABVP, applauding the students for their initiative.
The right-wing students' group put up a post on their Facebook page stating that the previous post from ABVP Jadavpur University Engineering Unit page was done by an "unscrupulous miscreant with the official page access, to cause chaos". "We are yet unsure about how the individual had access to that page. However, ABVP deeply apologises for the previous post," the post read. "ABVP has always stood for the students' cause and we stand with every frontline warrior who is coming forward in this time of crisis. The Community Kitchen being operated by the Jadavpur University Students is highly commendable and has all the support from the ABVP, Jadavpur University Student fraternity," the ABVP added.
The Arts Faculty Students' Union's General Secretary, Shubhayan Acharya Mazumdar, had strongly condemned the incident and said that this is a time to support each other rather than spread rumours. "We started cooking and distributing food to the homeless and the daily wage labourers who stay around the university area. While the lockdown might have been necessary, it put these people between a hard place and a rock. We are trying to help them in whatever way we can," he said. "The post put up on the ABVP Jadavpur University Facebook page not only said that we are organising a picnic but also said that leftists have brought the Chinese virus to India. This is not just demeaning but misleading as well. We request you not believe these false facts and stay supportive towards everyone — irrespective of their religion, gender, caste or creed," he added.
AFSU Chairperson Teerna Bhattacharya said that it is unfortunate that helping the daily wage labourers get a square meal is being termed as a picnic. "We condemn this hatred of politics and urge everyone to stand together. This initiative was not only by the Arts Faculty but by everyone from the university. The students got the groceries themselves and cooked at a parking lot on campus. The food was then distributed to people living in the streets and slums around the university, around 120 of them," she added.
