Kolkata: In the continuing graffiti war in Jadavpur University, members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP on Saturday put up “Free PoK” graffiti on the walls of the institute.The development took place days after West Benga…

Kolkata: In the continuing graffiti war in Jadavpur University, members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP on Saturday put up “Free PoK” graffiti on the walls of the institute.The development took place days after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asked Left-wing student groups to refrain from writing “Free Palestine” and “Kashmir Maange Azaadi” graffiti on the campus and instead raise slogans demanding to free Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from Pakistani control.ABVP activists have now written “Free PoK” on the university walls, as a counter to the Left’s graffiti campaign in the university which witnessed student unrest last month.Adhikari criticised the presence of slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “Kashmir Maange Azaadi” on JU walls and described them as anti-national expressions.BJP MLA Sarbari Mukherjee seeks renaming of Jadavpur University after Sri AurobindoUniversity authorities had whitewashed several political writings and murals following the chief minister’s remarks, prompting Left student organisations to draw fresh slogans.The ABVP has also accused Left student organisations of using university walls to promote “anti-national” and pro-Pak messaging, while the SFI, DSO and others defended the graffiti as part of JU’s long-standing tradition of political expression and dissent.A large poster featuring a quote from former BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee supporting Palestinian territorial rights also came up inside the university.JU Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya has appealed to students to strike a balance between freedom of expression and national integrity, while urging them to use social media and other platforms for political debates instead of defacing university property.The graffiti row follows violent clashes between ABVP and Left student groups on the campus in August, during which university property was damaged and questions were raised over the presence of outsiders.

Source: Deccan Herald