Member of Parliament Bishnu Pada Ray has accused BJP state president Anil Tiwari of “adding ghee to the fire” in the ongoing student agitation over the university issue in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, signalling rare public friction within the ruling party as tensions escalated across the territory on Monday.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah dated February 16, a copy of which has been reviewed by The Wave Andaman, the MP said Tiwari’s recent public statement supporting the proposed deemed-to-be university had aggravated the situation and contributed to the success of the territory-wide bandh.
“The BJP party’s position is critical particularly due to unsolicited statement of State President Shri Anil Tiwari favouring Deemed University… This singular flash news has acted as adding ghee to fire and was one of the main reasons for the successful bandh across territory today,” the MP wrote in the letter.
Ray’s remarks come amid a prolonged agitation by students demanding the establishment of a Central University in the Islands instead of the proposed deemed university framework. Students from seven degree colleges have been protesting since February 3, and the bandh observed on February 16 saw widespread closure of shops, transport services, hotels and restaurants across the territory, which the MP described as unprecedented and reflective of broader public backing for the demand.
In his communication to the Prime Minister, the MP said he had first raised the issue in December last year and had again written on February 12. He also met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on February 13 and submitted a representation to the Home Minister seeking urgent intervention from the Centre.
Ray said that around 6,000 students along with their parents are currently on strike at the premises of Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya, where they have been staging continuous protests. He warned that if the situation is not addressed quickly, there is a risk of deterioration in law and order, especially given that students have been protesting in open spaces for more than two weeks.
The MP further alleged that despite the seriousness of the issue, no senior official from the administration or the Lt. Governor’s office has directly engaged with the students to resolve their concerns, and he urged the Centre to issue an assurance on establishing a Central University while allowing the existing affiliation with Pondicherry University to continue in the interim.
The letter also notes that resignations by some local party functionaries and mounting political reactions indicate the growing sensitivity of the issue within the Islands.
The administration has so far maintained that the university transition is a policy matter of the Government of India, while appealing for calm and cautioning against disruption of public order.
With the agitation now entering its third week and political tensions sharpening, the coming days are likely to be crucial in determining whether the Centre steps in with a concrete assurance to defuse the situation.
