Protests Erupt at Burdwan University Over Interim VC and Jailed Maoist Leader's PhD

Members of the Trinamool Congress students' wing disrupted an executive council meeting at Burdwan University, protesting against the interim vice-chancellor Prof Gautam Chakraborty and the handling of jailed Maoist leader Arnab Dam's PhD application. They demand that no meetings be held until the Supreme Court-formed search committee makes an appointment.

Members of the Trinamool Congress students' wing on Thursday disrupted an executive council meeting at Burdwan University, protesting interim VC Prof Gautam Chakraborty's decision-making authority.

Activists from Trinamool Chhatra Parishad stormed the administrative building, causing the suspension of the meeting. The students also confronted registrar Sujit Chowdhury in the parking lot, insisting that no meetings occur until the Supreme Court-formed search committee appoints a vice-chancellor across 31 state universities.

A TMCP spokesperson condemned the university's handling of jailed Maoist leader Arnab Dam's PhD application despite his qualifying exam results. TMC leader Kunal Ghosh voiced support on X, stressing Dam's merit. The university has yet to comment, but it had various academic and administrative matters planned for the meeting.