Jadavpur University students use ex-PM Vajpayee’s remark to justify ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti

On September 3, 2026, students at Jadavpur University displayed a poster displaying a remark by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee advocating for the return of territories occupied by Israel and the establishment of lawful rights for Palestinians. This poster was placed in the green zone area of the university campus following the removal of previous graffiti by the administration, which had been deemed anti-national by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

The poster, along with other graffiti, was subsequently repainted, leading to repeated acts of restoration. Additionally, students posted sarcastic graffiti related to political leaders like Benito Mussolini and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) affiliated organization ABVP put up photos and posters of historical Indian leaders across the campus.

However, the state Chief Minister further criticized the dissident voices within the university, supporting the students' right to express their opinions.