Jadavpur University VC urges students to use social media instead of wall graffiti Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharya has appealed to students to exercise restraint in writing graffiti on campus walls and instead use social media to express their views, amid a fresh controversy over political writings at the university. In an open letter, Bhattacharya said Jadavpur University has a long-standing tradition of free thought and expression, which should be preserved while also ensuring that the campus remains clean, peaceful and aesthetically maintained. The vice-chancellor clarified that the appeal was not intended to curb freedom of expression. Rather, he stressed the need to strike a balance between democratic expression and maintaining the university's physical environment and academic atmosphere. Speaking to PTI, Bhattacharya said students should be encouraged to use social media to convey their messages instead of writing on university walls. ‘Reclaim The Wall’ Campaign Puts Graffiti Debate Back In Focus The remarks come amid a growing row over political graffiti at Jadavpur University. Several pieces of controversial graffiti were recently removed from the campus after objections were raised by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. However, students subsequently repainted some of the writings, reviving the debate over the university's long-standing graffiti culture. The controversy escalated after Adhikari criticised slogans including references to Maoist leader Kishenji and calls linked to Kashmir. The chief minister had urged the university administration to take action over what he described as objectionable writings on the campus. University authorities subsequently whitewashed several portions of walls carrying political slogans and graffiti. Students later launched a "Reclaim the Wall" campaign, arguing that the campus walls have historically served as spaces for political and social expression. Bhattacharya, however, maintained that the university's walls are institutional property and said he did not encourage political graffiti. He also pointed to the impact of wall writings on the appearance of the campus and said visitors may not appreciate such graffiti. At the same time, the VC acknowledged that wall writing has been part of Jadavpur University's campus culture for years. The development has brought renewed attention to the delicate balance between freedom of expression and institutional regulations in higher education spaces. While the university administration has sought to discourage indiscriminate wall writing, students have continued to emphasise the role of campus spaces in democratic debate. The latest appeal therefore seeks to preserve Jadavpur University's tradition of free expression while encouraging students to shift political and social discourse to digital platforms rather than university walls. Lakshima Sareen is a Senior Copy Editor with the Digital Education Desk at Times Now, specialising in education news, exam updates, and policy reporti... View More