Jadavpur University: Newspaper editor opens up after being called 'sell-out' by Union Minister Babul Supriyo

Babul Supriyo at Jadavpur University. (Image: Twitter)

Jadavpur University in Kolkata has been in the eye of the storm since September 19, when Union Minister Babul Supriyo visited the campus to address a seminar organized by ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad).

Supriyo was initially stopped from entering the campus for around one-and-half hours by members of two Left-leaning organizations – Arts Faculty Students' Union (AFSU) and Students Federation of India (SFI) – who raised slogans 'Babul Supriyo Go Back'.

The BJP leader faced another round of protests and was allegedly heckled and manhandled while trying to leave the campus around 5 pm.

What ensued was a tussle between the BJP leader and the protesters. While Supriyo accused the Vice-Chancellor of Jadavpur University (JU) of improper security arrangement, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar rescued the Union minister from the campus, in what the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) said was “partisan approach”.

U hv no words to utter for 6 hours or NO ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION from Mamta Govt.. Ur dirty politics hv overpowered ur logic. I pity U. FYI, if VC wanted, situation wud hv been under control at 3pm b4 ur #SFI hooligans started it. AVBP had JU registrar’s permission to do the event https://t.co/Sn3aPKRqFc pic.twitter.com/rdXQTMkI7q

— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) September 20, 2019

The incident got widespread coverage across news platforms. However, an escapade with the editor of daily newspaper The Telegraph has come into the limelight.

According to the newspaper, Supriyo called The Telegraph editor R Rajagopal on his mobile phone and demanded an “amicable apology” for allegedly misreporting the incident.

According to The Telegraph, Supriyo had, at first, lamented about the newspaper saying the minister had “elbowed” someone. But, when the editor told him that the newspaper hadn’t carried the statement and refused to apologise, Supriyo took an offensive stance.

Recounting the conversation, Rajagopal said Supriyo misconstrued his categorical assertion as arrogance and reminded him that he was speaking to a “central minister”, to which the editor said it did not make any difference. ‘“Aren’t you a gentleman?’ the minister asked me,” the editor said.

“I am not a gentleman, I am a journalist…. You may be a central minister but I am also a citizen of this country,” the newspaper quoted their editor as saying.

The minister changed his stand and said he was offended by the headline “Babull at JU”. Even then, the editor made it clear that no apology will be made by the newspaper until Supriyo established what mistake the newspaper had made. He even asked Supriyo to take to legal recourse if he chooses to.

At this point, Supriyo told the editor, “Are you sold out? Are you f***ing sold out?” the publication has reported.

After the conversation, Supriyo tweeted:

MrRajagopal, the arrogant editor of @ttindia jst abused me in filthy lingo on the Telephone when I called him asking him 2 print an amicable small apology for falsely publishing a first page report accusing me of grabbing the shirt of a JU student when it’s the other way round pic.twitter.com/iC2cEH6MlJ

— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) September 21, 2019

"He threatened me to hand write an article against me tmrw about me calling him !!! His arrogance was amusing !! Two other journalists are privy to what my intention was when I tried getting the number of that arrogant editor - calm&amicable (sic)," he added in another tweet.

Later, Rajagopal told The Quint, “He used many other expletives for me, but I have not mentioned the personal insults in the article. The conversation should not be about me. It should be about the kind of exchange that was happening between a public figure and a journalist," he said.

He said the larger point of writing the article about his conversation with Supriyo was how those in power use all kind of tactics to influence news.  

Read Also | ABVP's march to Jadavpur University stopped by police

On being asked, as to why he decided to make the conversation public, “I represent an institution. If he is charging at an institution, then I can’t let it go. I told him at that time itself that I’ll publish it and he even dared me to do the same.”

Supriyo had told the editor that he was recording their telephonic conversation, to which Rajagopal had asked him to upload the conversation on the internet for the people to know who said what. Supriyo is yet to make any such recording public.