DSF: A Conscious Carrier of Separatism, Violence, and Silence

Somsurya Banarjee•02-04-2026•8 min read

There is something musical about collapse, not the buildings collapsing, not the dramatic kind with barricades and final slogans echoing into history either. But the slow rot of an “ideology” (read: Red fascism that killed Swapnadeep and denied him justice) that used to claim moral superiority, and today it struggles to explain its own contradictions. The Democratic Students’ Front (DSF) stands today not as the vanguard of resistance that spoke of student welfare, but as an organisation in ideological decay, loud in rhetoric but hollow in practice. You know why they give red salutes? Well cause their hands are coloured with the blood of the student they killed after ragging him.

I. Revolution in Theory, Ragging in Practice

Every fan-fiction carries a familiar tone of resistance, liberation and equality. The reality is, however, far darker and less romantic

Starting with the “unnatural” death of Swapnadeep Kundu, a first-year student who was killed after being subjected to inhumane torture under the Revolutionary Mask of senior-junior interactions. This one incident shattered the carefully crafted illusion of “progressive and liberal” campus space. The investigations resulted in the arrests of various senior students; some of them were directly affiliated with DSF. Way before this incident, ragging was a daily routine of the DSF-linked seniors in campus and hostel, where they subjugated their juniors to inhumane torture just for “fun”.

Yes, DSF, the self-proclaimed torchbearers of liberalism and “anti-oppression politics” have charges against them against the most brutal form of oppression inside college campuses, ragging, which led to death. But was that it? Well, no, before the death of Swapnadeep, they sexually abused him, who was 17, a minor. These sexual predators didn't even spare a minor from their fangs of twisted sexual kinks and naturally were charged with POCSO too (and they are contesting for ICC election, a body that deals with complaints related to sexual harassment, quite ironic, isn't it?) Doesn't sound very progressive or liberal rather sounds exactly like Red fascists. So much for revolutionary morality.

II. When Safety Becomes ‘State Surveillance’

One would assume that after such a tragedy, the priority would be simple: ensure student safety. But again, a tragic death took place on campus in September, when a student drowned, NSF asked for CCTV and security personnel on campus, guess who opposed it, all left-leaning student organisations and obviously DSF. Why is the organisation that understands nothing but student welfare against the safety of students? Well, we know the answer to that: CCTV will prohibit them from all sorts of anti-India activities they are indulging in. So for DSF, their political agenda comes first and student safety??? Well, that's not on their priority list at all.

In proceedings before the Calcutta High Court, it was stated that CCTV cameras installed after a ragging death were removed by students themselves, a claim that exposes the deep resistance to even basic safety measures on campus. Imagine the audacity and desperation of DSF to keep their political relevance on campus, that they are not only opposing measures to ensure student safety, but are literally sabotaging every measure taken.

Because in their peculiar Universe, cameras are not for safety but for state Surveillance. Their ideological rot is so unreal that, according to them, CCTVs are authoritarian, but unchecked violence is not. Demands for security, regulation, and accountability are dismissed as “right-wing paranoia” even after so many security lapses, but why exactly is DSF afraid of CCTV?

III. Walls That Speak… Too Much

If ideology cannot survive reality, it retreats into symbolism.

After such unreal decay, when an ideology cannot survive reality, it often retreats back into symbolism. This case is also not an exception. Enter the graffiti of “Free Kashmir” that promotes separatism and terrorism

Kolkata Police filed a suo motu FIR against PDSF, a student organisation within the same ideological framework as DSF, for their graffiti of “Azad Kashmir” and “Free Manipur” as they promote separatism and normalise terrorism. Another organisation that made such anti-India graffiti is DSF Arts, which clears a lot of the blurred lines that DSF is loyal to those who want to break India, and that is a probable cause why they oppose CCTV cameras on campus. They didn't even stop; they even raised slogans and glorified Afzal Guru. Their anti-India slogans included “Jab Kashmir ne maangi azadi, Manipur bhi boli azadi”

Revolution, apparently, is easier to paint than to practice.

IV. The Romance of Insurrection

The contradictions deepen further.

Events held on campus have seen open glorification of Maoist figures, dehumanising the Indian army and rhetoric rejecting the Indian state itself and calling for the destruction of the Indian state itself. That included renaming Jadavpur University after the slain Maoists
Not metaphorically. Not academically. Explicitly.

They reject CCTV because they don't want to be caught using taxpayer-funded campus space for a variety of anti-Indian and anti-social activities, such as drinking and smoking, writing separatist slogans on campus walls, and graffiti endorsing Maoism. A closer study reveals that many DSF members are also members of RSF, a group that actively advocates for the violent overthrow of our democratic institutions, offers assistance to Maoists who have lost their lives, and hosts seminars in their honour. The DSF Arts helpdesk was once staffed by RSF members, and they are in an alliance with RSF and AISA. Yes, the same AISA whose JNU unit celebrated the death of 76 CRPF jawans at the hands of Naxal Terrorists

Now, siding with student groups that support terrorists is not “Freedom of Speech and Expression”, it is no longer “critical thinking”; it is a political ideology that crosses all lines of extremism, where violence towards the Indian state is justified under the guise of activism. Is this really about reforming society or destroying it altogether?

V. Selective Outrage, Consistent Silence

What DSF does not say, rather than what it does, may be the most revealing aspect of its policies.

International issues, such as supporting Jamaat-backed anti-Indian student demonstrations in Bangladesh or assisting Palestine? Instant mobilization.
However, the quiet is deafening when violence strikes closer to home, upending rather than strengthening narratives. For example, we did not see the same DSF comrades marching in support of Hindus who were killed in Pehelgam because of their religious beliefs. Not that DSF lacks a voice.
The reason is that its voice is... fussy.

VI. Law, Order, and the Cost of Ideology

Clashes on campus that started from 22nd January 2024 and 1st March 2025 (continuing till date) were initiated actively by DSF (so much for the democratic way of resistance). Well, across incidents like ragging and rioting on Campus, multiple FIRs have been filed against the students involved, most of them were affiliated with DSF. Consequences have accumulated against them to such an extent that arrests, detentions, and bail have become part of their routine vocabulary.

Their interpretation of “resistance” is seen as a violation of law and order in a civilised society. History has a way of reclassifying narratives.

VII. Conclusion

So, to wrap up, DSF was involved in many incidents of ragging. One of them we know led to the death of the minor victim after he was sexually assaulted. DSF has active links with student groups like RSF that promote Maoism, glorify slain terrorists and call for the destruction of India. PDSF was officially charged with promoting separatism, and DSF Arts echoed the same ideology of breaking away from Kashmir from India.

DSF took a stance against student safety measures like CCTV and security personnel so that they can keep up their ties with Maoist groups and continue painting anti-India graffiti. Members affiliated with DSF have active cases of ragging, which have led to death, POCSO and rioting on campus. An organisation with such a “legacy” of all kinds of worst activities possible in campus politics, are they fit enough to be elected for an important statutory body like ICC? This question is open-ended for the readers….

Do students want ideological theatre disguising institutional decline, or safety, accountability, and transparency?
Because one thing is obvious,
Revolutions that romanticise chaos, undermine safety, and justify violence are no longer considered movements.
This becomes a problem.
As usual, history keeps an eye on everything.