Kolkata, Feb. 2 -- Education minister Bratya Basu visited Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College on Sunday where he had a discussion with female student representatives following an ongoing dispute over the celebration of Saraswati Puja. The students, who had been agitating, raised concerns regarding threats they had allegedly received from outsiders.

The controversy arose after law students filed a police complaint at Charu Market Police Station, alleging threats of violence, including rape and death threats against female students, from outsiders demanding they halt the Saraswati Puja. The students later moved to Calcutta High Court (HC).

On Friday, Justice Jay Sengupta issued an order to remove a makeshift pandal outside the college's main building, which had been obstructing access to the puja area designated for law students. The HC also instructed the Kolkata Police to ensure security on the campus, deploying armed personnel to prevent outsiders from entering.

Following the court's instructions, the law students held their Saraswati Puja inside the campus. However, the Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Day College students, whose pandal in front of the college gate had been removed per the HC's order, erected a new pandal on a nearby road outside the campus. Armed police were stationed at the college gate, checking the identity cards of everyone entering the premises. Previously, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who was a student of the law college, had sought a report on the controversy, which was subsequently submitted by the Higher Education department. In response, Basu visited the college in the afternoon, as did Kolkata South MP Mala Roy. Upon arrival, Basu was met by protesting students, who chanted 'we want justice' slogans. He then met with four student representatives before departing.

Deshma Ghosh, a fifth-semester student, stated: "The Education minister assured us he will investigate the matter."

Separately, day college principal, Pankaj Roy, conducted a solitary Saraswati Puja inside the campus, bringing a small idol. He stated: "Following the HC's directive, I established a puja committee and allocated funds. However, I received no updates regarding the puja itself and I am unsure how the funds were used."

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