Kolkata: Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen expressed shock over the attack on Jadavpur University (JU) in Aug and called for protection of students and teachers on various educational campuses across the country.In an email to JU global alumni association founder Subhendu Bhadra as a solidarity message on JU academic freedom and autonomy, Sen said “sectarian ideas behind the violence that has been unleashed demand unhesitating condemnation”.“I am shocked to hear about the terrible attack on Jadavpur University. The need to protect people from political violence has never been stronger. Along with all others in my country, people pursuing education on different campuses need support,” Sen wrote in the email which was read out at a press meet organised by former JU students, teachers and non-teaching staff on Thursday.The economist further wrote, “Jadavpur University is where I began my teaching life 70 years ago and my solidarity with this great university runs very deep. But freedom from violence is a right that we all share.”Sen began his teaching life at JU as the founding head of the department of economics in 1956.Waves of violence and vandalism rocked JU on the night of Aug 19 as right-wing supporters entered the campus and went on a rampage for nearly three hours past midnight and then did a repeat on the afternoon of Aug 20 outside the campus, which led to damage to the JU emblem designed by Nandalal Bose.“We are also concerned about growing attacks on premier institutions of higher education like SRFTI, JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Presidency University and others with a sinister motive of subverting academic autonomy. We are also concerned about the way the ISI Bill 2026 is being enacted to completely overhaul the autonomous functioning of the institution established by Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis,” read the press statement by JU alumni and former teachers and non-teaching staff.Alumnus and retired JU professor Tarun Kanti Naskar said, “When an atmosphere of fear is created, the free environment for the pursuit of knowledge is disrupted. The govt’s attempt to merely exert control without providing the necessary funding for education and research is highly condemnable. We will organise a convention with teachers and educationists very soon.”
