Tensions around Jadavpur University continued as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari led a saffron procession near the campus, while two senior university officials were removed from their posts by Governor and Chancellor R N Ravi.
Adhikari led the ‘Gerua Samman Yatra’ from Golpark to the 8B bus stand near Jadavpur University. Monks and BJP workers participated in the procession, which was organised around the issue of the use of saffron and the alleged presence of slogans and graffiti associated with Left politics and Palestine on the university campus.
Addressing the gathering, Adhikari criticised slogans such as “Free Kashmir” and “Lal Salam” and said he would return to the university to recite the Bhagavad Gita and Hanuman Chalisa. He also announced plans for a three-day Vedic recital programme.
The march followed a dispute over graffiti at the university. Slogans including “Free Palestine” had appeared on campus walls, while rival groups subsequently put up slogans including “Free PoK” and “Akhand Bharat”. The competing graffiti had become part of a wider dispute over political activity on the campus.
Separately, the university saw a change in two key administrative positions on Wednesday. Governor-Chancellor R N Ravi removed acting registrar Selim Box Mandal and finance officer Shiladitya Chatterjee from their posts.
The Chancellor appointed Debajit Dutta, an associate professor in the history department, as registrar and Indrajit Banerjee, secretary of the Arts faculty, as finance officer. Both appointments are for six months or until further orders.
In his order, Ravi cited the failure of the university's Executive Council to initiate the statutory process for permanent appointments to the two posts. He also said that continuing the acting arrangements had affected the university's administration, academic governance and financial discipline. Mandal and Chatterjee had held the posts since December 2025.
The removals have drawn opposing reactions. The RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh welcomed the decision, while the Jadavpur University Teachers' Association criticised the Governor's intervention and questioned the applicability of the provisions cited in the order.
Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said the university had already begun the process of appointing permanent officials and was awaiting the required government and Chancellor's nominees before restarting the recruitment process.
