Was Punched, Kicked, Pulled By Hair: Babul Supriyo Heckled By Protesting Students In Kolkata

Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo faced a massive protest on Thursday from a section of Jadavpur University students during his visit to the campus to attend an event.

Students holding red flags pushed and shoved Supriyo and his shirt was torn. (Image: PTI)

Kolkata: Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo faced a massive protest on Thursday from a section of Jadavpur University students during his visit to the campus to attend an event organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in Kolkata. As per reports, Supriyo was heckled, thrashed and pushed by the protesting students who showed him black flags and shouted ‘go back’ slogans. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was headed to the K.P. Basu Memorial Hall where a freshers' welcome programme was scheduled. Speaking to reporters after the incident, Supriyo said, "I was severely thrashed, my hair was pulled and I was punched and kicked. This is totally unexpected from students of Jadavpur University. If they have any problem with me coming here then they should have debated the matter. They should not have assaulted me. They cannot stop me from going anywhere. I did not expect this. This is the state of the education system in West Bengal." News agency IANS reported that students holding red flags pushed and shoved Supriyo and his shirt was torn. A student was even seen pulling his hair. The Minister, however, refused to leave the campus. "You people are trying to provoke me, create a commotion. But you can't drive me out. Till the time you calm down, I won't go," Supriyo said. "Don't try to touch me. Don't lay a hand on me," he said and argued. "Please try to understand, if you don't allow any opposition voice, how can there be democracy on the campus?," he told students. Later in the day, Supriyo alleged that he was taken under an unlawful detention. Supriyo was detained on the campus alongside another BJPA leader Agnimitra Paul. The students said BJP was not welcome in the campus while Supriyo said as a Union minister he had the right to go anywhere.

CPM students heckled Union Minister @supriyobabul. People of West Bengal have thrown the Left out of power and reduced them to 5%. Basically they will be wiped out in the very next election.

Where are the hypocrits of the award wapas gang? Time for them to speak up now! pic.twitter.com/NIjkzvcXGf — BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) September 19, 2019

University Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das tried to intervene and asked Supriyo to proceed and attend the event. But Supriyo dug in his heels and said he was assaulted by the students. After a commotion of one hour, Supriyo managed to enter the auditorium to attend a seminar on ‘Governance in post-Independent India’. However, he faced another round of protest when he tried to leave the campus. West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said it was a "serious reflection" on the state's law and order. "The Governor takes the incident very seriously as it involves unlawful detention of a Union minister and this is a very serious reflection on the law and order of the state and on the conduct of the law enforcing agencies," Raj Bhavan said in a statement. (With agency inputs)