Kolkata, Aug. 31 -- A wall-writing controversy at Jadavpur University returned to the spotlight on Sunday, barely 24 hours after authorities whitewashed earlier writings.
A Karl Marx quote appeared on a freshly painted wall, while the SFI on Monday launched a "Take Back Your Walls" campaign, adding new slogans and graffiti at several spots on the campus.
The Marx quote was written over a slogan that had read, "Fascists do not deserve democracy. They deserve a bullet in the head."
On Monday, SFI students began their campaign near Gate 4, writing messages such as "Thoughts cannot be destroyed by bullets" and "Long live resistance", besides painting a graffiti of Rabindranath Tagore.
SFI member Anjil Das said the organisation would continue its wall-writing campaign despite threats from Suvendu Adhikari, drawing parallels with Jadavpur's role in the freedom movement.
The earlier writings had been removed on Saturday following the CM's direction to university authorities to erase what he called "anti-national" slogans.
Vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya said he did not support political graffiti but acknowledged wall-writing as a longstanding campus tradition. He urged students to avoid content that could hurt others' ideological sentiments, stressing that the walls belonged to the university.
The fresh writings drew criticism from ABVP, while Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay urged all stakeholders to protect the university's reputation. He said Jadavpur must decide whether it wanted to preserve its standing or become associated with "extremism".
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.