‘Jai Shri Ram’ vs ‘Inquilab Zindabad’: Tensions flare at Jadavpur, puja held outside CU gates

Tension gripped the Jadavpur University campus on Thursday during Ram Navami celebrations as slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ were met with counter-slogans of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’, creating a charged atmosphere. The situation escalated briefly as members of different student groups gathered during a Ram puja, leading to a verbal confrontation before authorities intervened to restore calm.

The Ram puja was organised by ABVP members, who had earlier sought permission from university authorities. According to them, verbal approval was granted at Jadavpur University, allowing the event to proceed inside the campus. Around 11 am, an idol of Lord Ram was brought in, following which members of left student organisations assembled at the spot, triggering slogan-shouting and heightened tensions. The Vice-Chancellor, along with police presence, stepped in before the situation could escalate further.

At Calcutta University, however, permission for holding the puja inside the campus was not granted. As a result, ABVP members conducted the Ram Navami rituals outside the closed gates of the College Street campus. The area witnessed loud chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, while university authorities maintained that only Saraswati Puja is permitted within the campus premises and that the institution remained closed due to the government holiday.

The developments come amid a continuing dispute over religious events on campuses. ABVP members claimed they had formally written to both universities seeking permission and asserted that they would continue efforts to organise such events within campuses in the future. The incident once again highlighted the growing political and ideological contest within university spaces during major religious occasions.