‘Anti-national’ graffiti at varsity whitewashed after West Bengal CM’s ultimatum

Graffiti depicting anti-national slogans at Kolkata's Jadavpur University was recently removed following a directive from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The erased messages included pro-Palestine support and references to Maoist leader Kishenji. An older slogan on the open-air theater read, "Fascists do not deserve democracy. They deserve a bullet in the head."

Additionally, a portrait of American civil rights activist Audre Lorde was also painted over. Adhikari emphasized that the university, known for its prestigious reputation, would not tolerate any anti-national slogans on its premises. The Chief Minister criticized certain messages displayed on the walls, stating that students were rallying not in support of the country, but rather demanding a halt to the war in Kashmir.

The university claimed that the whitewashing was part of routine cleaning efforts, aiming to avoid controversy. While no protests have been reported, some students, particularly those affiliated with Left unions, have voiced their disapproval of the decision. CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, a former Kolkata Mayor, expressed concern over the move, asserting that campuses foster free thinking and idea exchange, and that no action can prevent this.

The university had previously become a center of contention after ABVP supporters attempted to destroy posters and burn Left union flags on August 19, leading to heightened tensions between right- and left-wing factions on campus.