Bengal Governor leaves CU convocation after protests

West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar faced protests from a section of students of Calcutta University and was stopped from attending the university’s annual convocation ceremony. The Governor had to leave the premises. Nobel Laureate Abhijit Banerjee was conferred a DLitt (honoris causa) by Vice-Chancellor Sonali Chakravarty Banerjee in the absence of Dhankhar. The protest began after the Governor arrived at the university. Three students held ‘No CAA’ and ‘No NRC’ posters, waved black flags at Dhankar, and raised ‘go back’ slogans. As the Governor was set to head towards the stage, another group of students raised slogans against him. The students said they would not allow the convocation to begin unless the Governor leaves the venue. Succumbing to pressure, university authorities told students that the Governor would neither hand over the DLitt to the Nobel laureate nor lead the ceremonial academic procession of scholars and the Senate members.