Kolkata, Sep 3 — BJP MLA Sarbori Mukherjee on Thursday demanded that Jadavpur University be renamed after Sri Aurobindo, asserting that the institution should reflect the ideals and legacy of its historical founder figure.
Addressing a programme organised on the university campus on Thursday, the BJP legislator from the Jadavpur Assembly constituency said the institution should be rechristened as Sri Aurobindo University and urged a united stand against what she termed anti-national forces.
Sri Aurobindo was the first Principal of the Bengal National College, which later evolved into Jadavpur University after Independence.
The demand was raised during a series of events organised on the campus by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Haripada Bharati Smriti Raksha Samiti. The programmes included a march carrying the national flag, the singing of Vande Mataram, the display of portraits of renowned scholars, and Vedic chants.
Speaking at the gathering, Sarbori Mukherjee said the political developments in West Bengal had enabled people to openly speak about nationalism and oppose Maoist and Left ideologies. She claimed that a different outcome in the recent Assembly elections could have led to unrest in the state and maintained that those opposing nationalism would continue to face protests.
"All Hindus came together and hoisted the victory flag. If the result (Assembly polls) had been a little different, then the entire West Bengal would have witnessed a massacre in Jadavpur. I take responsibility for saying this. My words will be distorted again. I will be criticised. Criticise me as much as you want. I will say one thing from the stage: if you speak against nationalism, then there will be protests," she said.
Reiterating her demand, the BJP MLA said a mass petition could be submitted to the state Higher Education Department, Chief Minister and Union Education Minister seeking the renaming of the university.
"We have to stay united. The more we unite, the more anti-national forces will retreat. We, from the place of the principles and ideals of the one who created this university, let us call from this platform; if necessary, we will submit a mass petition to the Higher Education Department. If necessary, we will also submit a mass petition to the Chief Minister and Union Education Minister that the name of Jadavpur University be changed to Aurobindo University. This will be the pride of Jadavpur," she said.