Kolkata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged remarks on Jadavpur University, saying such comments undermine a premier institution known for academic excellence.

In a post on X, Banerjee said she was "pained" by the prime minister’s attempt to associate "anarchy" with a section of students of the university and questioned whether such remarks were in keeping with the decorum expected from the country’s highest office.

"Jadavpur University has consistently secured top ranks in the government of India's NIRF framework. It is a centre of excellence. To insult its students is to insult merit, intellect and the spirit of education," Banerjee said.

Defending the students, she asserted that raising questions and participating in protests were integral to a democratic framework.

"Students earning their place through merit and questioning authority is not anarchy, it is education and excellence," she added.

Banerjee went on to draw a distinction between democratic dissent and what she termed "real anarchy", alleging that misuse of state power, suppression of voices, and lack of accountability posed greater threats to democracy.

"Students protesting do not constitute a breakdown of democracy, it is democracy in motion," she said, urging the PM not to defame an institution rooted in Bengal's intellectual and nationalist legacy.

Referring to the university's historical inspiration from figures such as Sri Aurobindo, Banerjee said Bengal's educational heritage should be respected rather than disparaged.

Modi on Friday launched a blistering attack on the ruling TMC, alleging that the Mamata Banerjee-led party had destroyed the state's identity through corruption and infiltration and turned premier institutions like Jadavpur University into symbols of disorder and political intimidation.

The prime minister also referred to frequent unrest at Jadavpur University, saying the premier institution, once respected globally for its academic legacy, had become a symbol of anarchy under the present dispensation.

"Jadavpur University was once spoken of with great respect. Its foundation was built on strong academic values. But today, people are being threatened, and students are being forced to protest," he said.

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Claiming that anti-national slogans were being written on campus walls and students were being pushed into protests instead of studies, Modi said a government that could not protect its own premier educational institutions could not safeguard Bengal's future.

"We do not want anarchy; we want a healthy academic environment. We want dialogue here, not threats," he said.