Ripples of JU clash reaches Presidency University and Midnapore College

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SFI, AIDSO and other members take part in a mass rally from Jadavpur University after members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) tried to enter the Jadavpur University campus, in Kolkata, on Friday, August 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI

Ripples of Jadavpur University violence reached other educational institutions in West Bengal as supporters of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Students Federation of India (SFI) clashed at Presidency University and Midnapore College.

On Friday morning, a group of students who are supporters of SFI in Midnapore College organised a rally in protest against the violence at Jadavpur University. Meanwhile, a group of ABVP members objected to the rally following which both the groups engaged in a brawl. While the SFI alleged that they were all outsiders invading the campus, the ABVP said that it is the students’ responsibility to stop any “anti-national” activities in the educational campus. Visuals of students clashing with each other at Midnapore College were aired by local television channels and social media.

In the afternoon, a group of students in Presidency University were also making some posters in solidarity with students of Jadavpur University when a group of ABVP members were seen gathering outside the gate and raising flags of the party. Tension escalated when the SFI members also brought flags and gathered to protest near the gate. However, the police arrived on the spot and dispersed them. Later, the ABVP group went on to Calcutta University which is nearby the Presidency University where they also engaged in a verbal clash with the Left students.

SFI, AIDSO and other members take part in a mass rally from Jadavpur University after members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) tried to enter the Jadavpur University campus, in Kolkata, Friday, Aug. 21, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI

ABVP members heard raising slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ while they also said that a lesson should be taught to the Left students. Additional police force was seen being deployed in the area who have been keeping a watch in the area till late in the evening.

“We do not have any problem if the ABVP wants to run their organisation in the campus democratically. However, such hooliganism in the campus is not acceptable. We condemn the incident,” said the SFI leader Bitan Islam from Presidency University.

He also said that there have been 30 to 40 people engaged in the clash all of whom belong to the ABVP’s north Kolkata unit.

The development comes a day after the ABVP and SFI engaged in a clash in JU over a general body meeting. Later, some people, allegedly belonging to ABVP’s local unit, invaded the campus in large numbers late on Wednesday (August 19) night and vandalised the main building, Aurobindo Bhaban. They were seen burning SFI’s flags inside the building while many of the students got trapped till the morning.

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