Following Aliah University uproar, the ruling TMC's student wing has been embroiled in a controversy over an audio clip of one of its officials apparently threatening several Jadavpur University lecturers for allegedly working against the TMC's interests, which went viral on Monday.

The alleged threats prompted JUTA, the university’s largest teacher’s body against which the ire of the TMCP leader was directed, to voice its concern about a “larger conspiracy to vitiate the atmosphere” in the campus of the prestigious educational institute. JUTA also expressed apprehension about the safety of the teachers in the university premises.

In the clip the TMCP leader is heard threatening to grab the collars of some teachers loyal to Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) if they did not mend their ways.

The veracity of the audio clip could not be confirmed and the TMCP leader said it was doctored and that he was being framed.

The incident comes close on the heels of the incident in which the Vice-chancellor of Aliah University, Mohammad Ali was abused earlier this month by a former TMCP leader in the campus which sparked a national outrage. It led to the arrest of the student leader.

“We are getting step-motherly treatment at JU. We know who are responsible for this. We know which teachers of JU are responsible. If I have to grab the collar of such teachers, I will. Most of those present here don’t know what I am and what I can do,” Sanjib Pramanick, the TMCP leader is allegedly heard saying in the audio clip.

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Pramanick said that the voice was not his and the audio was doctored as part of a “larger conspiracy to malign TMCP”. He blamed Left wing students and a section of Left leaning teachers of the university and said they do not want TMCP to set up base in JU.

“It was a 30-second audio (clip) and was a counter to the abusive language used against me by the leader of a Left student organisation a week ago,” he said.

TMCP state president, Trinankur Bhattacharya when asked said “We are not sure if the voice in the audio clip is Sanjib’s”.

It is not possible to comment on unverified contents which might have been circulated with a certain motive. “TMCP never believes in showing any disrespect to the teaching community,” he added.

JU Vice-chancellor Prof Suranjan Das could not be contacted for his comments.

A JUTA statement said, “Is the Jadavpur University teaching community under threat? Shocking Audio.

Its general secretary Parthapratim Roy said certain “disturbing developments” took place in JU in the last few months which are vitiating the friendly relations that have always existed between members of the larger JU community. “In the received audio file it can be clearly heard that a student leader of JU TMCP is threatening JU teachers, specifically those who are members of JUTA. After this audio can JU teachers feel safe? “If anything happens to any of the teachers, who will take the responsibility? Is it a part of a big conspiracy against the JU teaching community? We strongly believe that the majority of students are not related to these activities and they respect all teachers of the university,” he said.

Roy said it has been noticed that vice-chancellors and teachers are being subjected to abuse and attacks by some student leaders in other academic institutions.

“Is the same culture going to be introduced in JU too?” he asked and recounted the insult meted out to a group of JUTA teachers, including some lady teachers, when they were returning after meeting the JU VC by a section of the non-teaching staff, some them casual employees. “These people taunted the JUTA teavhers and even blew horns to insult them,” Roy said.

“The JU teaching community has always raised its voice against various social problems of West Bengal and the country. It seems that there is a definite plan afoot to stop these voices. But we will continue to raise our voices against crimes and other social problems even if we are attacked by violent and evil forces,” he said when contacted.

Educationist Pabitra Sarkar said that the incident is not surprising after the abuse of the Aliah University VC by former TMCP leaders.

“A section of the ruling party students union members are not afraid of beating up, grabbing collars, slapping or using foul language against teachers of their universities and colleges. We have to see more such things in future unless there is an end to politcisation of campuses and the ruling establishment stops turning a blind eye to such incidents.”