KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday urged the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS-affiliated student organisation, to conduct a ‘clean-up’ drive at Presidency University and Jadavpur University in Kolkata over alleged anti-national activities on their campuses.
Addressing a gathering at the unveiling of a Kali Puja pandal at Maniktala, Adhikari accused certain student groups at the two universities of raising slogans such as ‘Kashmir mange azaadi’ and ‘tukde-tukde gang’. He also described them as “cockroaches", "bedbugs" and "dimagi naxals".
"I congratulate my nationalist brothers and sisters of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the largest student organisation across the world, for taking up the task of cleaning Presidency and Jadavpur universities of those who raise such slogans and promote anti-national sentiments," he said.
Appreciating the ABVP activists for their campaign, Adhikari offered to supply bleaching powder and phenyl for the proposed drive at the two state-run universities.
"This is the land of Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Swami Vivekananda was born on this soil," he added.
Adhikari also criticised former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, recalling the removal of a Kali idol in a police van in 2025 during her tenure and alleging that it was done on her instructions. He said Banerjee herself had to board a police van in Delhi during Mahalaya this year, describing the episode as the "power of Sanatanis".
He appealed to people to use earthen lamps during the festival of lights to support traditional potters and artisans.
Meanwhile, Presidency University expelled two female students for allegedly writing abusive remarks on a poster bearing Swami Vivekananda's photograph and using derogatory language against other organisations, a university official said on Saturday.
The decision followed an inquiry committee's examination of CCTV footage and consultations with various stakeholders. The students have been barred from further academic activities at the university and will not be eligible for admission to any future degree programme there.
The controversy began after the ABVP alleged that a poster featuring Swami Vivekananda, put up on the campus on October 13, had been defaced with derogatory remarks. The organisation lodged a police complaint seeking an impartial investigation and action against those responsible, and staged a protest outside the university gate.