Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the students wing of the ruling party of Bengal, Trinamul Congress, launched their state-wide agitations in state universities on Monday.
The Monday to Friday programme, on its first day saw protests at Calcutta University, North Bengal University and Burdwan University.
At Calcutta University campus students day on dharna for close to 3.5 hours, where the students danced, read poems and did Street plays.
The students said the situations are part of their effort to save the higher education system in the state, to keep the universities running and to safeguard the interests of the students.
The students has met the CU VC a week back and submitted their deputation on general issues.
Avirup Chakraborty, state general secretary of TMCP, who spearheaded the agitation at CU, said, “The Governor has been trying to break the federal structure and has been appointing interim VCs at Universities. We do not want interim VCs as they are not serious about the day-to-day affairs. She has little knowledge of the problems of the university. Instead, she is busy satisfying the agenda of the Governor. The BJP is serving their political interest through the office of the Governor. The saffron party is afraid of the state’s culture and they have sent the Chancellor to destroy it.”
The students claimed they had the support of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the varsity. “Many professors called us to lend their support to us on the issue,” said another student leader.
The TMCP president, Trinankur Bhattacharjee, who led the agitation at North Bengal University, said, “Our concern is the stalling of work at the varsity and scholarships being not given, new projects not happening etc. We also raised our voice against the autocratic rule by the Chancellor.”
As per the schedule published by the students union, they will hold their protest at Rabindra Bharati University, Kazi Nazrul University, Alipurduar University and Murshidabad University.