Kolkata, Aug. 30 -- Jadavpur University authorities on Saturday whitewashed several wall writings from different parts of the campus, days after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari criticised alleged "anti-national" graffiti and directed the authorities to remove objectionable writings.
The university's general maintenance wing carried out the clean-up operation for around six hours.
Among the writings removed was a Charlie Chaplin mural near Gate No. 3 of the Dr H L Roy Building carrying the message, "Fascism is not to be debated. It is to be smashed."
At the Open Air Theatre, a wall carrying the message, "Fascists do not deserve democracy. They deserve a bullet in the head", was also whitewashed.
Workers also covered a Nazi salute accompanied by the words "Break Fascism with Red" on the PG Science building and "Long Live Comrade Kishenji" outside the geography department.
Other political graffiti, including writings on Palestine and anti-fascist themes, was removed.
The university administration said the exercise was part of routine maintenance and was not undertaken solely in response to the Chief Minister's remarks. A senior official said similar wall writings had been removed in the past and advised students to use designated display boards for their demands and messages.
Reacting to Saturday's removal, Adhikari said the writings should have been removed earlier. Questioning slogans such as "Free Palestine" and "Red Salute Kishenji", he said: "How can 'Free Palestine' be written? 'Free PoK' should have been written. Do you know how many innocent people Kishenji killed? I am the Chief Minister and the Home Minister of West Bengal, and you will write 'Red Salute Kishenji''?"
However, the SFI has opposed the action, arguing that anti-imperialist and anti-fascist wall writings have historically been part of Jadavpur University's campus culture. It has announced a "Take Back Your Walls" programme at the university on August 31.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.