Many Presidency University students expressed solidarity with their Jadavpur counterparts by boycotting the convocation on Sunday, prompting former governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi to say that students should not look up to politicians as role models.
Speaking at the convocation, Gandhi said, “You should not look at the political personalities, religious gurus or corporate heads for guidance but instead should look towards your own clean conscious for guidance.”
Some students of the university made a silent protest and did not turn up with posters and placards. “A section of students of the university chose to skip the convocation to express solidarity with their friends at Jadavpur University who are getting ready to boycott their convocation,” said Soumallya Mukhopadhyay, president of the students’ counsel of the university.
Students as well as a large section of teachers of JU have decided to boycott their convocation slated to be held on December 24 demanding removal of vicechancellor Abhijjit Chakrabarti for calling the police on campus in September to dislodge a peaceful protest of the students.
“There were over 30 students who chose to boycott the convocation including a gold medal winner. However, none of them came together under any political banner and decided to lodge a silent protest by not turning up,” Mukhopadhyay added. Presidency authorities however, refused to acknowledge that any student had boycotted the convocation. “It is normal in every convocation that some students are granted degrees in absentia. We have no information about students boycotting the convocation,” said vice-chancellor of the university Annuradha Lohia. Trinamool MP and chairman of Presidency University mentor group Sugata Bose, too, agreed with Gandhi and felt that political leaders these days may not be the ideal role models.
{{/usCountry}}“There were over 30 students who chose to boycott the convocation including a gold medal winner. However, none of them came together under any political banner and decided to lodge a silent protest by not turning up,” Mukhopadhyay added. Presidency authorities however, refused to acknowledge that any student had boycotted the convocation. “It is normal in every convocation that some students are granted degrees in absentia. We have no information about students boycotting the convocation,” said vice-chancellor of the university Annuradha Lohia. Trinamool MP and chairman of Presidency University mentor group Sugata Bose, too, agreed with Gandhi and felt that political leaders these days may not be the ideal role models.
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