Mamata Banerjee attacked the BJP over violence at the Jawaharlal University.
Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar today accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of having a "selective approach" after she condemned Sunday's mob attack at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University. In his tweets, Mr Dhankhar referred to his encounter with protesters at the Jadavapur University two weeks ago as he said "anarchy in educational institutions is worrisome", adding that "fire at home ought to be first priority" for Ms Banerjee.
Ms Banerjee on Monday had attacked the BJP over violence at JNU as she called the mob attack a "fascist surgical strike". "I, too, was involved in student politics at one point in time, but never have I witnessed this sort of an attack on students and educational institutions... Yesterday's was a fascist surgical strike on the student community," Ms Banerjee told reporters on Monday. A masked mob had barged into JNU on Sunday, attacked students and teachers, injuring 34 of them.
"Whoever raised voice against the BJP is dubbed 'anti national' or a Pakistani", Ms Banerjee claimed on Monday, triggering sharp reactions from the party as she was accused of "shedding crocodile tears" for JNU.
Today, Jagdeep Dhankhar took a potshot at her asking for "soul searching", referring to protests at the Jadavpur University in Kolkata. "The position of Chancellor was compromised by omission and inaction of State and University authorities. Why this selective approach to violence and disruption on JU campus! Fire at home ought to be first priority. Am sure there will be soul searching," he tweeted this morning.
In another post, he wrote: "Acts of violence, anarchy in educational institutions is worrisome and should not be tolerated. Silence of those in authority (who severely condemned JNU violence) over what happened at Jadavpur University a fortnight ago is painfully worrisome (sic)."
Last month, Mr Dhankar, who is also the chancellor of state universities, was stopped from attending the convocation event at Jadavpur University by a section of employees of the varsity reportedly owing allegiance to the Trianamool Congress. The employees protesting against the citizenship law had blocked the gate when the governor entered.
When the university later delayed its special convocation event amid protests, Mr Dhankhar said this was the fifth instance when meetings or convocations in different universities in the state had been cancelled.
"This trend indicates massive politicisation and fear by the present government," Mr Dhankar, who has been at loggerheads with the TMC government over a number of issues over the the past several months, said. "This trend indicates massive politicisation and fear by the present government," he had said.
On Monday, the Kolkata Police ended up lathicharging BJP protesters and Jadavpur University students as the two groups came to a near head-on collision at Sulekha More, a busy trijunction in the city's south. The students were protesting JNU mob attack.