HC orders regulation on alumni entry to Jogesh Chandra College amid Saraswati Puja row

The Kolkata High Court has intervened to regulate the entry of former students into the Jogesh Chandra Chowdhury College campus following disruptions during the Saraswati Puja celebrations. The court instructed the management committees of both Jogesh Chandra Chowdhury Law College and Day College to formulate specific policies outlining the conditions for alumni entry. This decision comes in response to rising concerns about security and the increasing involvement of outsiders, including threats to students.

The conflict began when students from Jogesh Chandra Day College were allegedly denied space inside the campus to perform Saraswati Puja. As a result, they were forced to conduct the Puja outside the campus, in front of Indrani Park. Meanwhile, students from Jogesh Chandra Law College carried out their Puja within the campus. This led to tensions, with reports suggesting that the situation escalated further, leading to chaos. To mitigate the unrest, the college principal, Pankaj Ray, personally performed a separate Puja within the campus.

During the court proceedings, Justice Jay Sengupta addressed the concerns regarding the entry of former students and outsiders, commenting that it would not be feasible for a large number of alumni to enter the campus without restrictions. He stated, “If 10,000 or 20,000 alumni say 'We will enter the college,' they cannot be allowed to do so.” The court had previously issued a ban on the entry of outsiders into the college due to concerns about their involvement in creating disturbances. It was pointed out that the "disturbances" caused by outsiders had escalated in recent times.

As a result of these developments, the court directed that Saraswati Puja celebrations within the campus take place under police protection to ensure the safety of students and staff. Additionally, the High Court stressed the need for both colleges to establish clear guidelines for alumni entry and to resolve the ongoing issues related to the presence of outsiders. The court's ruling aims to prevent further disruptions, control the movement of alumni, and maintain peace within the college campus during future events.