Tension has escalated once again at Jadavpur University after the name of slain Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basbaraju, was found scrawled on the campus walls — a development that has reignited memories of the earlier controversy over an ‘Azad Kashmir’ poster.
The slogans were found on the walls inside the university. A section of students alleges that the situation mirrors the months-old turmoil surrounding the contentious ‘Azad Kashmir’ poster.
This time, the Revolutionary Students Front (RSF) has reportedly taken responsibility for the graffiti. They claim the former general secretary of the CPI(Maoist), who was gunned down in last May in Chhattisgarh, fought for the rights of the common people, and that the group continues to oppose what they call “state repression.”
RSF leader Abhinav Das defended the action, saying, “Those whose names we have written were fighting against state oppression. Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), is using the matter politically.” He added that the organisation will protest if authorities remove the graffiti.
The TMCP, however, has condemned the graffiti as unconstitutional and dangerous.
On Monday, TMCP leaders met Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya and submitted a deputation demanding an immediate ban on RSF within the university.
“Maoist propaganda cannot be tolerated in the university in any way,” said TMCP general secretary Tirtharaj Bardhan. “RSF must be banned, and they should not be allowed to use any seminar hall.”
The university administration is attempting to prevent the situation from escalating.
VC Bhattacharya stated that the issue may need to be addressed at the state or central government level. “A further decision will be taken after discussing with all the parties,” he said, adding that the university can at most issue warnings to the concerned organisation.
The SFI (Students’ Federation of India) also opposed the graffiti, clarifying that it does not subscribe to Maoist ideology. However, the organisation also condemned any extrajudicial attacks or arrests carried out under the pretext of anti-Maoist operations.
Jadavpur University has been under public scrutiny in recent days over its upcoming convocation ceremony. The university had planned to confer an honorary D.Litt upon World Cup–winning Indian women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur on December 24. However, the VC confirmed that she will not be able to attend the ceremony — a development that has already stirred questions, now overshadowed by the fresh graffiti row.
As tensions rise once more, Jadavpur University finds itself wrestling with political fault lines, ideological clashes, and administrative challenges — all unfolding within the lead-up to its convocation.
Also read: Jadavpur University student found dead on campus
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