Kolkata

West Bengal Governor C. V. Ananda Bose faced protests from members of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the student wing of the ruling Trinamool Congress, at the University of Calcutta on Thursday. Upon his arrival to distribute PhD certificates, the TMCP members waved black flags and chanted slogans urging him to leave.

The protesters accused the Governor, who also serves as the university’s chancellor, of illegally appointing an acting vice-chancellor, claiming that this made it impossible to hold the annual convocation properly. They argued that the event was merely a camouflaged ceremony for distributing PhD certificates and violated the university’s traditions. Additionally, TMCP activists alleged that entry to the certificate distribution was restricted, allowing only professors closely associated with the acting vice-chancellor, Santa Dutta, to attend.

In response, Dutta stated that none of the protesters were actual university students and accused them of trying to disrupt the university’s academic environment. The appointment of vice-chancellors in West Bengal has been a contentious issue, with accusations from the state government that the Governor bypasses the Education Department in making these appointments. The Governor’s office has defended these actions as necessary to maintain a positive academic atmosphere in state universities.