A UGC-sponsored seminar was organised jointly by the English department of Gour Mohan Sachin Mondal (GMSM) College and American Center near Mandirtala. The invitees included the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CU, Professor Dhrubojyoti Chaterjee, Registrar Basab Chaudhuri, UG Council Secretary Shyamal Sarkar and the Deputy Director of American Center Moulik D Berkana.

On Tuesday morning, when the university authorities, along with the guests arrived for the inaugural seminar, they were faced with massive protests. From 9 am, outsiders, along with students started a protest in front of the college. No one, even teachers, was allowed inside.

“Our college has been peaceful even during the elections. Those who disrupted the seminar were prepared not to allow it. I tried to argue with them. The guests waited here for an hour before they left,” said A J Hasan, principal of GMSM College.

He added that the protesting group, which mostly comprised outsiders and Trinamool leaders, demanded that the college allows outsiders — relatives, friends, pass-outs, etc — to enter the college. Since 2006, the college had barred outsiders from entering its premises.

A senior CU official said: “The students were asking NAAC to go back. We did not know what has the seminar to do with NAAC. The principal tried to pacify them but they were determined to disrupt the academic exercise.”

The Trinamool Congress, however, denied being a part of the agitation. “We are not aware of the incident. We have to look into the matter,” said Baishwnar Chaterjee, party councillor and former president of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad.