Jadavpur University walls whitewashed again as graffiti standoff persists
Jadavpur University administration whitewashes freshly painted graffiti overnight, continuing a standoff over wall writings and political expression on campus.
The standoff over wall writings at Jadavpur University continued into the early hours of Tuesday, when a team of police personnel and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) officials arrived on campus around 12:30 a.m. and whitewashed all graffiti across the walls.
The action came just a day after students had repainted the walls with new messages and artwork, following an earlier round of whitewashing. Among the fresh paintings removed were a portrait of artist Chittaprosad Bhattacharya, a climate change-themed mural, a quote attributed to Karl Marx, lines from Ho Chi Minh, and Urdu couplets.
The cycle of painting and erasure follows a directive issued on August 26 by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who asked the university administration to act against what he described as 'anti-national' graffiti. Those writings included references to Maoist leader Kishenji, solidarity messages for Palestine and Kashmir, and slogans about 'shooting the fascists'.
In response, the administration had earlier whitewashed walls across the main building, Aurobindo Bhaban, Arts Hostel, and the Open-Air Theatre. Students then repainted them, describing the act as an attempt to 'reclaim' the campus walls. One of the repainted quotes, from Karl Marx, read: "We have no compassion/And we ask no compassion from you/When our turn comes, we shall not make excuses for the terror."
Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya has appealed for restraint, urging students to express their views on social media instead of on walls. In an open letter, he said his suggestions were not meant to curb freedom of expression but to safeguard the university's heritage and environment. "Jadavpur University has a long tradition of free thought and expression. We must preserve this heritage while ensuring that the campus remains clean, peaceful and aesthetically pleasing," he wrote.
The tension at the university dates back to August 19, when a group of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad supporters reportedly forced their way onto the campus, tore down posters, and burned flags of the Left students' union. The campus has remained on edge since then.