The bench was hearing a PIL highlighting the ‘state of affairs’ at Jadavpur University that led to a first year BA student committing suicide after he was allegedly subjected to ragging by his seniors.
Senior Advocate Kalyan Bandyopadhyay, appearing for the petitioner, emphasised that senior students, who have graduated continue to live in the varsity’s hostel and subject fresher students to ragging.
“Ragging is continuing for decades altogether. A fresher today is being subjected to ragging. Criminality is being grown in his mind. Tomorrow when he becomes a senior, he does the same thing. I was in a hostel in class 9 and ragging in our times, was like introduce yourself, go swim, etc. I learnt swimming because of my seniors. But now more inhuman things are resorted to. Recently, one student has died,” the Senior Advocate pointed out.
During the hearing, the counsel representing the university, informed the bench that several political parties have been staging protests and are also trying to enter the varsity campus.
The bench said that political parties cannot use this incident for their sake.
“No, you cannot convert this into a political battle. No political party would be allowed inside the campus. Any form of peaceful protest cannot be stopped but one causing inconvenience to the public will have to be regulated. Need not be said, but yes police have enough powers to regulate such protests,” the bench underscored.
Source: Barandbench
