Kolkata, August 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
West Bengal Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul on Saturday condemned the damage to Jadavpur University’s emblem during recent clashes on the campus, saying the government would not support vandalism or the entry of outsiders into educational institutions, regardless of their political affiliation.
Reacting to the violence at the university, Paul said the institution’s emblem, which has been associated with Jadavpur University since the country’s Independence, should not have been damaged.
“If the special reputation and emblem of Jadavpur University, which has been passed down since the time of independence, is broken today, I do not support it. We do not support outsiders entering educational institutions,” she said.
“We will not support it, no matter which party it belongs to, even if it is from my party. Please do not bring politics into schools, colleges or universities; keep them out,” Paul added.
Her comments came after fresh clashes between activists of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) outside the Jadavpur University campus in south Kolkata on Thursday.
The latest violence followed separate protest rallies organised by the two student groups against clashes on the campus during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, in which several students were injured.
Two separate confrontations were subsequently reported. The first took place at the 8B Bus Stand crossing between SFI activists and security personnel, while another erupted outside the university’s main gate between SFI and ABVP activists.
During the latter clash, the engraved Jadavpur University emblem, designed by renowned painter Nandalal Bose, was damaged. The emblem was repaired and reinstalled at Gate No. 4 of the campus on Friday.
Paul also reiterated the government’s stated position that politics should be kept out of educational institutions. Referring to allegations of political influence in education during previous Left Front and Trinamool Congress governments, she said the present administration did not want politics to dominate every aspect of public life.
“Once upon a time, it was called Anilayan, Parthayan or Mamatayan. But in our time, no one can say that. Those placed on the board by the current Chief Minister are not involved in politics. We do not want politics in everything,” Paul said.
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