Agitation will delay justice in molestation case: Partha Chatterjee

KOLKATA: Education minister Partha Chatterjee on Friday appealed to the agitating students to lift the gherao and arrive at a solution through discussions. A continued agitation means delay in justice for the molest survivor, the minister said.
“A Jadavpur University Teachers Association delegation met me on Friday and held that they did not endorse the gherao culture.I appeal to students lift the gherao and bring back the academic atmosphere in JU. The students can express their concern at an appropriate forum,” Chatterjee said.
While saying so, the minister threw his weight behind the police commissioner who claimed the other day that the police didn’t lathicharge students. “Police didn’t lathicharge students. Recorded video clippings do not corroborate the students’ complaint,” Chatterjee said.
The minister didn’t blame JU vice-chancellor Abhijit Chakrabarty either. “Some people are saying that the VC should have pacified students through negotiation. But how long should the VC hold talks if he is stuck for hours? He called police to rescue himself,” Chatterjee said.
“It seems the prime issue of sexual harassment has been subdued in the din for VC’s resignation. The government took up the matter in right earnest. The CM called me from Darjeeling and asked me to order an inquiry immediately. While the inquiry was in progress, student representatives in the committee set up by the university demanded resignation of two members of the probe panel. I have also got a report from the panel chairperson. Some members offered to put in their papers. I insisted that they continue because we want a speedy inquiry. No one should come in the way of the inquiry,” the minister said.
But the education minister had a word of caution for the “brains” behind the student agitation. “I do not blame the students. They have been misled by some outsiders who want to stall the inquiry on sexual harassment,” the minister said.