West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday launched an unprecedented attack on Jadavpur University's Left-leaning teachers and students, stating sympathisers of "anti-national forces" on the campus require to be administered "strict medicines".
Adhikari was defending the West Bengal Universities and Colleges (Administration and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which was introduced and passed by members with 171-15 votes during a special session of the state Assembly.
The Bill empowers the government to transfer teaching and non-teaching staff from one state university to another, among a total of eight such institutions across the state.
Adhikari directed a sharp barb at those "unhappy" with government service conditions and the proposed transfer mechanism, asking them to quit their jobs.
"Those who are facing much difficulty with these conditions of government jobs are welcome to quit. Hang a shoulder bag, become a full-time worker and sell Ganashakti (CPI(M) mouthpiece). Once in a while you can also go around the New Market area collecting donations with a tin container in your hand," he said.
"Those who give appointment also retain the right to set the conditions of appointment. The appointees have no such right," he asserted.
Speaking of the rationale behind the transfer provisions, Adhikari said faculty and employees could be deployed to newer or weaker universities to strengthen those institutions.
The CM said Bengal wasn't the first to implement such a transfer policy, and stated that the provision already exists in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
"This process has also begun in Gujarat and Bihar. We got this done before them," Adhikari said.
Responding to a question from opposition MLAs, Adhikari said the state had constitutional powers to make laws in matters concerning education since the subject falls under the concurrent list of the Constitution.
He also clarified that the amended Act will take precedence over all previous Acts of the state on the particular subject or on individual Acts governing the universities.
The Act will not impact PhD supervision and projects if a transfer is ordered, the CM said, adding that the new law will ensure a balance between institutional autonomy and its accountability to the government.
"A section of professors, clad in so-called Left attire, are launching systematic and targeted attacks on the Sanatanis. They are targeting those practising their faith, those sporting a 'tilak' on their forehead or wearing a tulsi bead necklace. They think the Sanatan Dharma is just a matter of culture," Adhikari said.
He dismissed the apprehensions raised by CPI(M) MLA Mostafijur Rahaman and his ISF counterpart Naushad Siddiqui over attempts to "saffronise education" by means of the Bill.
"We have objections to this terminology. We will not do this. The CPI(M) had pursued 'Anilisation' of education and Mamata Banerjee had implemented 'Mamataisation'," he said, in apparent reference to education policies followed by the Left Front government when Anil Biswas was CPI(M) state secretary and during the subsequent TMC regime.
Adhikari also claimed that opposition parties and teachers' organisations had initially failed to grasp the significance of the proposed legislation but had now begun "feeling the irritation" after sensing the government's determination to implement it.
He said the government had records of the activities of members of Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) and knew "when and where" they had played various roles in the past.
"We will set up a commission to probe Gopal Sen's murder in JU, if required," the CM said, referring to the former VC who was hacked to death inside the campus in 1970 during the era of Naxalite violence in the state.
The debate over the Bill soon turned towards the recent controversy over political slogans and graffiti on the JU campus, with Adhikari making a series of strongly worded remarks against what he described as "anti-national activities".
"Everyone has the right to march with the national flag after obtaining permission. But sitting on the campus and writing 'Kishanji' or any anti-national name, or raising 'Lal Salaam', will not be tolerated. Those who raise slogans of 'Kashmir Maange Azaadi' will be answered in Netaji's language, not Gandhi's," he said.
Referring specifically to slogans and writings associated with slain Maoist leader Kishenji and Palestine, Adhikari said, "At Jadavpur, 'Kishenji, Red Salute' slogans are seen on Arts Faculty walls. The man killed more than 1,000 innocent people and paramilitary jawans. 'Free Palestine' is also being written. We will not allow such things to happen in the land of Prafulla Chaki, Khudiram, Matangini Hazra and Syama Prasad Mookerjee."
JU will receive Rs 1300 crore in grants from the Centre and the state, but if they write 'Bharat tere tukde honge', "we will break them into pieces," Adhikari said.
The CM also sought to assure the House that the government would deal firmly with incidents affecting law and order on campuses, saying legislators would not have to take matters into their own hands.
"The police have already been given specific instructions by the administration to take strict action against such activities," he said.
Under the amended Bill, a new Section 14A would be inserted into the 2017 legislation governing the administration and regulation of universities and colleges in West Bengal.
The provision would empower the Chancellor, in consultation with the state government, to transfer an employee of one university to another when such a move is considered necessary for administrative purposes, officials said.
The 2017 law provides for the transfer of college teachers, librarians, officers and non-teaching employees from one college to another, but does not contain a specific provision governing transfers of employees between universities.
The government has sought to fill this legal gap through the proposed amendment, which would provide a mechanism for deploying personnel according to administrative requirements.
