Hundreds of students from different colleges and departments of Mumbai University converged at the Kalina campus of the university to protest against the police brutality that saw students of FTII, Pune being lathicharged and arrested for protesting the arrival of Gajendra Chauhan who took charge as the chairman of the institute on January 7. The protestors said that the move by BJP was indicative of its efforts to “privatise and saffronise” higher education.
Speaking about the protest, Narayan of University Community for Democracy and Equality (UCDE) said that ever since the BJP government had come to power they were pushing for privatising education and saffronising the education system and the FTII students were protesting the same. “Apart from privatisation, the saffronisation of education is also one of the top most priorities of the RSS-led BJP. The agenda of saffronisation is being furthered by foisting Sangh sympathizers at the helm of affairs in institutes of higher education and learning. The appointment of Gajendra Chauhan and four others into the FTII society is also part of the same agenda,” Mr Narayan said.
He further added that the “anti-student and fascist character” of the government was exposed by the lathicharge by the police on January 7 yet again.
“The students had gathered at the gate to voice their discontent at the arrival of Chauhan at FTII. The police lathicharged the peacefully protesting students and arrested more than 40 of them,” said Mr Narayan.
He added the UCDE feels that the BJP, after Congress, is pushing forth the agenda of privatising education at such a rapid rate that it is becoming almost impossible for a person coming from weaker sections to even afford formal education. “The Modi government came to power monopolising on the politics of religion and fake promises. Ever since Modi has come to power the attacks on rational thinkers, freedom of expression have increased many fold, students are being treated like terrorists.”
