Mamata's TMCP sets up unit at Presidency University, calls left organisations 'casteist and elitist'

A look at the TMCP's 10-point agenda shows some ground issues — from lending books from the library to a demand for more photocopy machines
Only time will tell whether this will begin a new phase of politics in Presidency University (Pic: EdexLive)
Only time will tell whether this will begin a new phase of politics in Presidency University (Pic: EdexLive)

The Presidency University, considered one of the strong bastions of the left-leaning student politics, saw the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMPCP), the student wing of Mamata Banerjee's TMC, set up an official unit on campus for the first time on February 15. The newly formed unit also claimed that many so-called left student activists have joined them as well.

Shubham Ganguly, a third-year student at the varsity's Department of Political Science, was named the President of the newly formed unit. "This is indeed a historic moment. Our plans for the future has been mentioned in the ten-point agenda that we submitted to the Dean of Students. It talks about addressing issues of the PhD scholars to installing sanitary napkin machines to fully operationalise the hostels and many other issues that have been neglected by the incumbent student unions of the Independent Consolidation (IC) and the Students' Federation of India (SFI)," said the newly-elected president. "These people are caught in a trap of elitism. They have avoided, neglected and discriminated against the students who hail from lower-middle-class, poor or 'low-caste' families. Yes, I call them castist and elitist. The TMCP unit of the Presidency University will work towards every issue that is plaguing the students of the varsity," added Shubham.

A look at the TMCP's 10-point agenda shows some ground issues — from lending books from the library to demand for more photocopy machines. They also mentioned the issues of reverting to offline mode of education, which has been the call of the left organisations for quite some time now. "All the departments should revert back to the offline mode of teaching and learning as soon as possible. Vacant faculty, hostel warden and chair professorship positions should be filled," read the agenda. "Since research scholars are not a part of the Student Council, their demands are conveniently overlooked. Existing student organisations are least bothered about them since they do not have voting right. A separate body comprising the PhD students should be formed immediately to address their problems," it added.

The TMCP organised a series of events on its first day. They also released a music video on Valentine's Day — Ami Shunlam Presidency — that hails the university. The TMCP unit at the varsity called it their tribute to the institution. Only time will tell whether this will begin a new phase of politics in Presidency University which had once been an integral part of the nationalist freedom movement and then the Naxalite movement, or just drop down to violence during elections.
 

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