Kolkata: A new Karl Marx graffiti at Jadavpur University may be an eyesore to the ABVP but minister Dilip Ghosh said on Monday that Marx’s philosophy was not banned in India and anyone was free to quote him.The slogan, Fascists do not deserve democracy. They deserve a bullet in the head, written on the wall of the Open Air Theatre (OAT) was whitewashed on Saturday night by the university authorities. The chief minister’s X post had highlighted this slogan. On Sunday evening, a few students reclaimed the wall by writing another Marx quote: “We have no compassion/And we ask no compassion from you. When our turn comes, we shall not make excuses for the terror.”Shortly later, at 12:36 am on Monday, ABVP JU unit president Nikhil Das wrote to the JU VC, attaching a photo of this graffiti. He claimed that these recurring incidents “fostered fear and insecurity on campus” and urged its immediate removal, the identification of those responsible using CCTV footage, and strict legal and administrative action to prevent future occurrences. The email was also copied to the chief minister, the governor, the state higher education department and the Jadavpur PS.Minister Ghosh on Monday told reporters that Gen Z and the youth across the world had always led movements. “Karl Marx’s philosophy is not banned in the country. So anyone is free to quote him through graffiti,” said Ghosh, a former Sangh pracharak. “Graffiti is common in a democratic country. But we will not tolerate anyone who challenges the nation and national integrity.”Ghosh added this was the first time a govt had wiped off slogans inside JU as the govt felt it necessary. “A message was sent to the anti-national forces at JU and those who lead them,” he said.“The people of Bengal have reposed their faith in the BJP and elected us to power. The role to be played by the opposition has to be decided by them. The people have rejected them, and they will have to correct themselves. We are busy with development work,” he added.
