Kolkata, Sept. 13 -- The Faculty of Engineering and Technology Students' Union (FETSU) at Jadavpur University has announced a four-day graffiti campaign titled "Reclaim Campus" from September 14 to 17, amid a continuing dispute over political wall writings on the premises.

The drive will take place at the main Jadavpur campus on September 14 and 15, followed by the Salt Lake campus on September 16 and 17.

Described by FETSU as an "anti-fascist, anti-war, progressive graffiti drive", the initiative invites students to paint murals focusing on themes including anti-fascism, anti-war, repeal of the National Education Policy (NEP), demands for student union elections, gender sensitisation, anti-caste discrimination and the violence in Manipur.

FETSU has circulated a Google form through which participants must register in groups and submit a description of their proposed artwork, team details and the required wall dimensions.

The campaign follows a campus clash on August 19 between Left-leaning student groups and the right-wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Referring to the incident, FETSU condemned subsequent allegation labelling students as "Dimagi Naxals". They urged students to respond to the episode by "shooting every FASCIST with your COLORS and BRUSHES".

Campus walls recently became a focal point of friction after university authorities whitewashed several wall writings following Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's criticism of their content. The erasure triggered retaliatory painting by Left student organisations, including the Students' Federation of India's (SFI) "Take Back Your Walls" campaign. The ABVP has also participated in the wall-writing dispute, painting counter-slogans across the campus, including "Free PoK", "Free Aksai Chin", "The Nation's Demand is Our Demand" and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

Regarding the latest drive, Jadavpur student Sayan Haldar said political writings on university walls were an established institutional tradition closely tied to the history of the freedom movement.

He said students had collectively embraced the initiative to ensure their views continued to be articulated on campus.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.