Vandalism at Presidency: Remembering Father Huart

The recent events at Kolkata's Presidency University reminds me of the grit and determination of our very own Father A Huart, the former Rector of St Xavier's College. 

Father Huart
(Courtesy The Telegraph)

I don't remember the exact year now - probably it was in 1987. Once during a students' strike in West Bengal, members from both the Student Federation of India or SFI and the Chhatra Parishad wanted to stop classes and impose the shutdown at our college. In fact, they had jointly put flags at the college gate on the Park Street side. 

However, Father Huart, then the Vice Principal, was not ready to relent. He argued with the student leaders that there was no political union in our college so closing it down for external reasons would amount to imposing a decision on the students to which they might not agree.

One of the student leaders, who was probably from the Moulana Azad College, even threatened Father Huart with violence and blood shed (rakto ganga boye jete pare).

Father Huart, as he was, in a very composed manner replied that he had witnessed the Naxalite violence at its peak in West Bengal and if he had to die the person replacing him would do the same thing.

Finding an unassuming Father Huart such a hard nut to crack, the all imposing student leaders left.

Father Huart then called all the students and narrated what he told the student leaders. He then asked us whether we wanted to join the strike. Getting a negative response from the students, he then announced that the following day the college would be closed after lunch break.

Later in 2009, when the college was celebrating its 150th anniversary, the Belgian father recalled the tough time they had to face at the height of political instability in the state. 

He told The Telegraph: "I remember the ’60s and ’70s when the whole city was in turmoil with the Naxalite movement but St. Xavier’s escaped from it entirely. There were some attempts in the ’60s to bring in a college union based on politics but it met with resistance from the students who thought it would divide them."

Father Huart was always very proud of the college and his students. When I was doing my Economics Honours he used to teach us Political Theory. Once he asked me to leave the class as I was busy doing things for our picnic to Nurpur the next day rather than paying attention to his lecture. He asked me not to return without seeing him. But when I met him after the class and apologised in Bengali, following an advice from a senior, he excused me. As I was talking to him, I could see a copy of the well known Bengali magazine 'Desh' on his table. He later confided his passion for Bengali. 

He was a true custodian of his students, now a rare breed in the world of education across Bengal. Following threats from the leaders of the warring students' unions, Father Huart could have easily sought help from the Park Street Police Station, which was literally across the road. Instead he chose to take things on his own stride and did what he felt was best for the college and its students. 


Tirthankar Bandyopadhyay is a journalist and media consultant. 
He can be contacted at tirthankarb@hotmail.com 

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