Presidency University expels student for ‘defacing’ Vivekananda poster

KOLKATA The Presidency University has expelled a student and barred a former student from the campus for allegedly defacing posters of Swami Vivekananda inside the premises, official sources said. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had alleged that Left student factions vandalised the poster and filed a police complaint on October 14.

Following an investigation by an inquiry committee, which reviewed CCTV footage and heard various stakeholders, the university decided to bar both individuals from taking admission to any future course. One is a current student, while the other completed her post-graduate course a few months ago.

“Two students have been expelled from the studentship/post-studentship academic activities. It has also been decided that they won’t be allowed admission to any future degree program in this university,” official sources said. University registrar Debajyoti Konar said the institution has always stood for dignified academic discourse but is “not in a position to tolerate any abuse to any thinkers/ideas/organisations.” Campus divided The Students’ Federation of India (SFI) condemned the expulsion on Saturday.

“By imposing an expulsion that threatens to destroy the academic lives of these two students, the administration has established a deeply dangerous precedent,” the SFI Presidency unit said in a statement. The outfit added that while students must be punished for vandalism, the university should adopt corrective steps and rehabilitation rather than punitive measures.

Meanwhile, the ABVP welcomed the action. “Our message is clear: ABVP possesses the only vaccine capable of eliminating the Chinese virus of anti-national ideology,” Ananta Barui, state media in-charge, ABVP, told The Hindu on Saturday. The Left student wings had previously denied the ABVP’s allegations of vandalism.

Commenting on the development, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday, said, “ABVP has started the work of cleaning the Tukde-Tukde gang from Jadavpur and Presidency. This work must be continued.” This comes as both Jadavpur and Presidency University, two of the top-ranking educational institutes of the State, remained embroiled in repeated controversies and face-offs with the right-wing student group.

A massive fight had erupted at JU in August as Left and Right-wing student groups clashed. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Jishnu Basu spoke at an event at Presidency on November 5 to celebrate 150 years of Vande Mataram. Published - November 07, 2026 10:53 pm IST