Union Minister Babul Supriyo heckled at JU

Union Minister Babul Supriyo was heckled by a section of students of Jadavpur University during his visit to the campus to attend an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), here on Thursday.

Several slogan-shouting pro-Left students surrounded Supriyo as soon as he arrived and asked him to leave. He was headed to the K.P. Basu Memorial Hall where a freshers’ welcome programme was scheduled.

“Babul Supriyo go back, go back”, they shouted as the Asansol MP’s bodyguards tried to throw a security ring around him.

Students holding red flags pushed and shoved Supriyo. His shirt was torn. A student was even seen pulling his hair. But the Minister refused to leave the campus. Such was the situation that Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das had to intervene to prevent any untoward incident.

“You people are trying to provoke me, create a commotion. But you can’t drive me out. Till the time you calm down, I won’t go,” Supriyo said.

The Vice-Chancellor tried to reason with students and requested Supriyo to come to his chamber. However, verbal duel between Supriyo and students continued.

One of the demonstrators told Supriyo: “Don’t create a scene”. “Who is creating a scene? You or I?” shot back Supriyo.

“Don’t try to touch me. Don’t lay a hand on me,” he said and argued, “Please try to understand, if you don’t allow any opposition voice, how can there be democracy on the campus?.

Agnimitra Paul, fashion designer and BJP leader, who had too come to the university to attend the same event also faced the demonstration.

Supriyo and Paul stayed on the campus amid all the hullabaloo.