- Suvendu Adhikari criticised Vidyasagar University for calling freedom fighters "militants" in an exam paper
- The question paper has asked students to name district magistrates killed by "militants" in Medinipur
- The Vice Chancellor of the university has called it a typographical error
Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, has slammed the Trinamool Congress over the misrepresentation of freedom fighters as "militants" in a government university's question paper in Paschim Medinipur district.
Taking to social media, Mr Adhikari wrote, "The Administrative Authorities of Vidyasagar University have once again insulted our revered freedom fighters by labeling the brave revolutionaries of Medinipur "militants" and "terrorists" in the 2025 History Honours Sixth Semester question paper."
Images of the question paper shared by the BJP MLA showed a question in Bengali, asking students to name three district magistrates of Medinipore who were killed by "militants".
"Burge (1933), Peddie (1931), and Douglas (1932) were targeted by Indian Freedom Fighters. Peddie was killed by Bimal Dasgupta and Jyotijiban Ghosh. Douglas was assassinated by Prabhanshusekhar Pal, accompanied by Pradyotkumar Bhattacharya. Burge was killed by Anathbandhu Panja, Mrigendranath Datta, Ramkrishna Roy, Nirmaljiban Ghosh, Brajakishore Chakraborty, and others," explained Mr Adhikari.
This isn't the first time this controversial question has been asked in examinations, alleged Mr Adhikari, claiming that a similar question was asked in 2023.
Professor Dipak Kumar Kaur, Vice Chancellor of the university, called it a typographical error and said the matter wasn't being taken lightly, as it is about freedom fighters who hailed from the same district.
The exam for the 'Modern nationalism and India' paper was held at the university on July 9.
The Vice Chancellor has sought a report from the Controller of Examinations and the Chairperson of the undergraduate Board of Studies of History.
