Bengal University calls freedom fighters terrorists in question paper, Vice-Chancellor admits unintentional mistake

Kolkata: A row has erupted after an exam paper at the Vidyasagar University in West Bengal’s Midnapore called the Indian freedom fighters 'terrorists', prompting massive backlash.

The controversy began after the Bengal BJP shared a picture of the question paper from semester 6 of the History Honours course. As per the image shown, the question paper calls prominent Bengali freedom fighters ‘terrorists'.

The BJP took to X and posted a picture of the question paper with the caption, "Freedom Fighters are now Terrorists in West Bengal!!! In Vidyasagar University History Honours (6th semester, Paper C14 - Modern Nationalism in India) exam included a shameful question branding legendary Indian revolutionaries as terrorists."

It further wrote, "The question asks: Name three District Magistrates of Medinipur whom terrorists killed.” And the so-called "terrorists” listed are none other than our great freedom fighters: Bimal Dasgupta, Jyoti Jiban Ghosh, Pradyot Bhattacharya, Prabanshu Pal."

The Opposition party in Bengal then attacked the TMC government and said, "Bengal was once the cradle of intellectualism and nationalism. But today, under Mamata Banerjee’s government, the very idea of Indian nationalism is being vilified, and freedom fighters are being equated with criminals. This is a deliberate rewriting of history to poison young minds."

Moreover, the BJP has complained to Bratya Basu, the Education Minister of Bengal, demanding the penalisation of the person who set the question paper. Protest rallies were held by teachers, students, and locals who slammed the question.

While the Vice-Chancellor of Vidyasagar University, Dipak Kumar Kar, admitted the 'error', he said that freedom fighters being described as ‘terrorists' has been called a 'printing mistake'. While speaking to ANI, he said, "A printing mistake occurred in the question paper of undergraduate history examination yesterday. I inquired about the matter with the Controller of Examinations. I asked for a report from the Controller of the Examination as well as from the Chairperson of the Undergraduate Board of Studies of History." He described the mistake as 'unintentional', which was not noticed during proofreading.

He also stated that those involved in the paper's moderation would face consequences, and the teacher who moderated the paper has already been replaced. Additionally, the chairman of the Board of Studies will also be removed from the post. Meanwhile, the CPI(M) has slammed both the BJP and the TMC for the distortion of history.