In the wake of massive protests by Jadavpur University students, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee Monday wondered if the agitations were because of a ban on drugs inside the campus.
Kolkata: In the wake of massive protests by Jadavpur University students, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee Monday wondered if the agitations were because of a ban on drugs inside the campus.
Two days after the city witnessed a massive rally with thousands of students walking in unison and pressing for the resignation of Jadavpur University Vice Chancellor Abhijit Chakrabarty for violent police crackdown on them, Banerjee on a social networking site mocked at the agitation.
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"Liquor, ganja, charas stopped. Is that why the smell of protest?" read a Facebook post by Banerjee, also the chief of the party's youth wing.
The post is part of the campaign by the Trinamool to drum up support for its counter-rally Monday by its students' wing, Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, calling for resumption of normalcy in the university.
Banerjee's Facebook post has been widely ridiculed by users while educationist and alumni of the university condemned the Trinamool's attempt to "politicise" an apolitical movement.
"It is hard to fathom why the ruling party is trying to politicise a purely students' movement which so far has remained bereft of any political colour. His comments are condemnable," said educationist Sukanta Chowdhury.
Jadavpur University professors Achinta Biswas and Nilanjana Gupta too expressed their anguish over Banerjee's attempts to discredit the students.
"The comments are disgusting and reflect the political bankruptcy of the Trinamool," CPI-M MP Mohammad Salim said.
Writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen too slammed Banerjee and the Trinamool for the comments.
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