The Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Visva-Bharati University (VBU) was escorted out of his residence, Purbita, today, December 13. The action comes days after the VBU students started staging an indefinite sit-in protest outside his house, demanding his resignation. The VC had written an email to all his colleagues and staff last night, requesting everyone to gather at noon today in front of Purbita to resume the normal functioning of VBU by enabling him to return to his office.
"This is an appeal to all my colleagues to restore the normal functioning of Visva-Bharati. The Vice-Chancellor has been in captivity for the last twenty days by those who claim to be students of this great seat of learning," reads the appeal email written by the VC.
What happened?
However, the escorting unfurled chaos at the institute as the security forces escorting the VC got violent with the protesting students, allegedly on VC's call. "Around 250 security guards of the VC thrashed the students and dismantled the stage where we were protesting. It has been about 20 days since we started protesting, and the VC did not come out even once for a dialogue. Now he unleashed the violent forces against us," says a protesting candidate Somenath Sow, whose master's admission was cancelled earlier this year for commenting against the VC on social media.
As per the court order, his admission was supposed to be restored, but the university administration decided against it.
Stone pelting
Students also allege that the VC pelted stones at the students on his way to the office. In a video of the incident shared with EdexLive, the VC could be seen throwing something at the students behind. "Something seems to be extremely wrong with the VC; embarrassing to witness someone of this stature act like this. He is egomaniacal to the extent that he thinks his words are the last, and it dissolves all space for dialogue," adds Somenath. Ever since VC Bidyut Chakrabarty assumed his position at VBU, the university has witnessed an upshot of conflicts between the VC and his employees and students. Suspension orders and legal cases are at an all-time high.
VBU is now involved in 100 legal cases involving several staff employees and students. "He will do anything to satiate his ego. As far as taking the low-paid employee to the Supreme Court," says Minakshi Bhattacharya, a research scholar whose PhD was halted at the last minute, and whose extension declined. "I am a female scholar, and by the UGC regulation, they owe me an extension, but they refused," adds Minakshi. Minakshi was also manhandled a couple of days ago when she tried to stop the VC's car from leaving his residence.
Officials speak
When EdexLive reached out to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of VBU, Mahua Banerjee, she insisted that the Vice-Chancellor was only finding his way back to the university office to initiate the proper functioning of the institute and that the stone pelting came from the side of the students.
"It is extremely sorrowful that something like this happened at VBU. We strongly condemn the act of stone pelting at the VC," says Mahua Banerjee. She also adds that the resignation of the VC is not something that the students can demand. However, the PRO refused to comment when asked about the issue of Somenath Sow's master's admission, citing legal reasons.
Other conflicts
The VC has also had conflicts with several professors, including the star professor Dr Manas Maity who has brought laurels to the university over the years. Prof Maity was suspended on flimsy grounds, and DST was requested to stop his funding. The President of the Visva-Bharati University Faculty Association (VBUFA), Sudipta Bhattacharyya, is also among many others who received several show-cause notices and suspension orders.
"The VC is heading the institute with a Taliban whip. Results are still to be declared, so many students aren't able to apply for their scholarships. Further, hostels are only 20 per cent filled, and vindictive actions are taken against anyone and everyone who participates in protests against him," concludes Somenath in exasperation.
