Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar visits ailing Jadavpur University VC, says will work together for students' welfare

West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday visited ailing Jadavpur University VC Suranjan Das at a private hospital here, and said he will work together with the senior varsity official to create the "best suitable" environment for students.

Dhankar arrived at the hospital in the southern part of the city's Dhakuria area around 10 am to meet Das and pro- VC P K Ghosh, who were admitted on Thursday, following the incident of heckling of Union minister Babul Supriyo by a section of students at the varsity. "The VC is in good shape and willing to return home.

Das also said that once he is back to work, he will have an interactive session with the students," Dhankhar told PTI. "I'm glad to say that we are on the same page. We have to work together to create a best suitable environment to explore the character of students and contribute in nation building," said.

Dhankar, who is also the chancellor of the university, however, had earlier taken serious note of the fact that Das left the campus on Thursday evening, even as Supriyo remained gheraoed by the students. The Governor pointed to "the issue of serious lapses by the University VC, including virtual abandonment of his obligations", a statement issued by Raj Bhavan had said. Dhankar on Saturday said doctors at the hospital indicated that none of the two were injured in the incident.

"I have spent considerable time with the vice- chancellor and the pro-vice chancellor, and was fully updated about their health condition by the doctors," he said.

"I am very much concerned about their health. I would also like to reach out to the daughter of the VC and his wife, who is a professor at Calcutta University," the Governor said. Das and pro-VC P K Ghosh had to be hospitalised on Thursday evening after they complained of "headache, vertigo, palpitation and nausea", a medical bulletin issued by the hospital said.

Both were taken ill while Supriyo was being heckled and gheraoed by the students at the university, where he had gone to attend a programme by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

After being held up at the university campus by protestors from leftist students unions and some from TMC for nearly five hours, Supriyo was taken out by the governor late Thursday evening. "I was personally constantly keeping a note of the VC and the pro-VC's health.

In fact, I wanted to see them first before going to the university, when I heard that they were injured. But, when I called him (the VC), he told me that he was not injured but suffering from hypertension," Dhankar added.

-PTI

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