Deba Prasad Bhattacharya,
Sonarpur

The students of Besu are meritorious and have been selected through the Joint Entrance Examination. So they must be from good families also. One fails to understand why they are becoming so intolerant within a year while students of other colleges are carrying on with their studies peacefully. To restore normalcy, the management should not allow outsiders into the university campus without valid reason. Every student should be asked to carry his or her identity card. Teachers should come forward to help maintain law and order. An impartial committee ought to be set up to probe the unrest that led to the flare-up on March 19 and 20. The authorities should withdraw police force from the campus, which has fuelled the unrest.

Anushri Mondal,
Golpark

The atrocities on the Besu campus are shocking. I think, instead of protests on the road and voicing grievances over loudspeakers, it would be more advisable to form a committee comprising pragmatic teachers and students who could decide on a more logical and less chaotic course of action. This would lead to a successful resolution of the problems. After all, Besu is a premier educational institute and not a battlefield. Education should be prioritised over everything.

Asok Kumar Chatterjee,
Konnagar

In order to restore normalcy at the university, a strict code of conduct should be enforced. Outside political influence should be curbed. Above all, the vice- chancellor should be dispensed with immediately.

Prahlad Agarwala,
Majdia, Nadia

All universities and colleges have different students’ unions which are virtually the puppets of various political parties. During the college union election the institutions become hotbeds of political rivalry. Stopping the polls for a few years may help restore normalcy at Besu.

Amaresh Paul,
Bandel

Normalcy can restored in Besu if people from outside the campus are barred entry. Ragging should be totally stopped at any cost. Lastly, student politics should be discouraged on campus and attempts should be made to nurture a healthy atmosphere.

Manasi Chakrabarti,
Behala

The members of the students’ unions should stop fighting amongst themselves in Besu. The state government should not send police force in an educational institution. This would only aggravate the situation. Police should be withdrawn immediately to restore normalcy. Students and teachers should sit down for a discussion.

Rathin Chatterjee,
Dum Dum

It is strange how the state government is silent about the prolonged disturbance at Besu. It has been created by the politics of outsiders and indisciplined students. The governing body should hold an emergency meeting with the students and the governor to seek a permanent solution.

Sukumar Ghosh,
Mukundapur

It is unfortunate that the Besu campus has become a hotbed of violence and it is reported that a section of students, allegedly SFI supporters, had beaten up non-Bengali students who were returning from home. Such ugly infiltration of politics in educational institutions had resulted in the death of Souvik Basu, a Besu student, in 2006 on the campus. There is no other alternative but to ban the students’ union and punish the guilty leaders.

Debasish Chakraborty,
Cossipore

It is obvious that the state government should constitute a committee to probe the continued students’ unrest on the campus and suggest remedial measures. It should be headed by top educationists. The chief minister and the higher education minister should take appropriate action.

Kshama Agarwal,
Address not given

Besu is an institute of national repute, but due to conflicts among students, faculty members and the management its prestige is dipping. Unless politics is eliminated from the system, nothing can be done. As of now, negotiation is the only way to bring back normalcy on the campus.

JOYDEP CHATTERJEE,
Shyambazar

For restoration of normalcy in Besu, law and order must be strictly imposed by the authorities. The university authorities must inflict strict punishment on any mischief-making student. They must seek help from the government to mitigate this tension which is increasing day by day. The government must not be a silent spectator.

P.B. Saha,
Arlington, Texas

Troubles in Besu have of late been hitting the headlines and damaging its image. Rivalry among students apart, the teachers are also being found locked in unhealthy divisions on political and ideological grounds. Infighting among students over union elections has reared its ugly head. A solution is eluding the university for more than one reason — the most important being the lamentable lack of honest intent among all those concerned. Politics is wrongly being identified as the root cause of indiscipline and uncivilised behaviour among students. Good politics inculcates a sense of discipline and social responsibility. Students can grow into responsible citizens when the relation between the teacher and the taught develops along proactive and participative lines. This doesn’t, of course, allow for any kind of indulgence to unruly students. The administration has to be both accommodating and strict as the situation demands. The solution of the problem is through collective responsibility. The removal of the vice-chancellor will only complicate the situation.

Nishith Mitra,
Mahinagar

Intermittent government intervention, meetings, commissions, persuasion and evasive action by the university authorities tried so far to restore normalcy have proved to be futile as no deterrent punishment was ever recommended against the campus rabble-rousers. The flaw in all the actions was non-application of IPC against specific cognisable offences committed on the campus. There should be action taken as permitted by law and the delinquents made to face the consequences of police investigation, arrest and court processes. Union activities too may be banned till the students come to their senses.

Dinabandhu Mukherjee,
Behala

Normalcy needs to be restored by the administration through negotiations with the students’ and teachers’ representatives. A permanent board will be helpful for addressing the grievances of both sides. Entry of outsiders who generally fuel disturbances needs to be banned. Alcohol should be banned too. Proper security should be provided to students. The management should arrange meetings separately with the representatives of students and teachers at regular intervals for smooth running of the university.

Diptimoy Ghosh,
Salt Lake

A student-teacher meeting should be arranged, where it is possible to reach a consensus on finding a solution to bring normalcy in Besu. If students maintain discipline it may yield positive result. Politics should not be allowed in any educational institution. Drinking alcohol should not be allowed on the premises. The authorities should also lend a ear to students’ grievances.