The conflict between the two influential figures traces back to a disagreement over the foundation day of the student council, an event organized by Calcutta University. Shanta Dutta, who serves as the university’s acting Vice Chancellor, did not comply with Bratya Basu’s directives regarding the event, which led to growing tensions between them. Since that time, Dutta has been increasingly critical of the Education Minister, and the discord reached a boiling point when, on Saturday, Bratya Basu, the Trinamool Congress MLA from Dumdum, mocked Dutta by likening her to a crow and a peacock. These comments were seen as an attempt to belittle Dutta, perhaps in retaliation for her refusal to follow his instructions.
In response, Shanta Dutta took to a private news channel where she accused Bratya Basu of using his political power to undermine academic authority. She also recalled an incident involving Bratya Basu earlier this year at Jadavpur University, which she felt was pertinent to the current conflict.
The incident, which occurred in March 2023, was a flashpoint for widespread protests against the state government and its handling of education. Bratya Basu was accused of running over a student named Indranuj Roy during a protest at the university. The protests stemmed from deep-rooted dissatisfaction among students with the state’s educational policies and ministerial actions. Bratya Basu himself was injured during the episode, but many viewed his actions as reckless. Dutta pointed to this episode to question Basu’s leadership and draw attention to what she perceived as his failure to take responsibility for the consequences of his actions.
Dutta also took this opportunity to address the recent controversy surrounding examinations at Calcutta University. She explained that decisions regarding exams were made by the university’s syndicate, not by her alone. She expressed frustration that she was being personally attacked for a decision that involved multiple stakeholders. In her statement, Dutta clarified, “I am not acting alone in these matters. The decisions are collective, made by the syndicate, and yet, I am being unfairly targeted.”
Drawing parallels with the incident at Jadavpur University, Dutta recounted how, during that protest, students had barricaded her car for over six hours, leading to an incredibly tense standoff. She further detailed how one student had even climbed onto the bonnet of her car, disrupting the situation, and abusing her with offensive language. Despite this, Dutta emphasized that she did not instruct her driver to run over the student, calling attention to the fact that the protests were out of her control. However, her remarks made it clear that she felt the government had failed to address the root causes of such protests and had not taken action against those responsible for the escalation of violence.
Dutta’s comments regarding the handling of student protests were pointed. She criticized the government’s inability to curb the disruptive actions of protesting students and referenced the court’s order which had explicitly banned outsiders from entering the university premises. However, Dutta claimed that the students flouted this order by tearing the notice and even setting it on fire, an act she compared to “Muhammad bin Tughlaqi acts”—a historical reference used in Bengal to criticize policies perceived as despotic or irrational. Despite these acts of defiance, Dutta lamented that the government did nothing to hold these students accountable.
As the war of words continued, the issue also touched upon Abhirup Chakraborty, the General Secretary of the Trinamool Student Union (TMC), who had made pointed remarks regarding the exam issue. Dutta responded by announcing that Chakraborty would be banned from the university for five years, preventing him from registering for any higher education courses, such as MPhil or PhD, and blocking his application for any employment opportunities at Calcutta University. This measure was seen as a direct response to his provocative statements, as well as a message to student leaders who attempt to influence university policies through political means.
Dutta’s critique was not limited to student leaders; she also expressed her disappointment in the lack of action taken against Chakraborty by his own party leadership. In a sharply worded comment, she stated, “Had I seen any criticism or punishment from the party for his offensive remarks, I would have respected the action. But the days passed without any such response.”
Dutta also turned her attention to Bratya Basu’s behavior, particularly his media comments about the autonomy of the Vice Chancellor. The Education Minister had accused her of being too reliant on government directives, claiming that if the Vice Chancellor of a university were to act merely as a puppet of the government, it would be detrimental to the institutional autonomy of the university. In response, Dutta expressed her surprise at the Education Minister’s aggressive tone and lamented the “downfall of his standards”. She went so far as to suggest that if the party did not take action against him, the responsibility to address his misconduct would fall to the academic institutions, implying that someone had to step up to restore order.
In conclusion, the conflict between Shanta Dutta and Bratya Basu seems far from resolution. Academic freedom and institutional autonomy have become major points of contention as both parties continue to make their cases in public. The issue now extends beyond just a disagreement over university policies to a larger debate over the relationship between political forces and educational institutions. The question remains: will academic institutions like Calcutta University be able to maintain their independence from the heavy hand of politics, or will this struggle for power redefine the future of education in West Bengal?
The situation has raised serious questions about academic freedom and the role of political figures in shaping the education system, with many watching closely to see how these tensions will unfold in the coming months.