This Time Around, All of Us Actually Have a Chance to Change Things

This Time Around, All of Us Actually Have a Chance to Change Things Remembering Comrade Sudipto Gupta Another 2nd April is upon us and the memories from that tragic day are as fresh as ever even after three years since the death of martyr Com. Sudipto Gupta. The TMC government had put a hold on students’ union elections in all educational campuses across the state and on, 2nd April, 2013 Com. Sudipto and many others like him had come out on the streets to demand that this ban be lifted and campus democracy be restored. The ban was put in place following the death of a police officer on duty outside the Hari Mohan Ghosh College in the Garden Reach locality of Kolkata. The clashes on that day were between the students of Chhatra Parishad and SFI, who became involved in clashes with the students of TMCP over the filing of nominations. Outsiders joined in and there was footage that was available later that, showed a known gangster of the locality and TMC councillor, shooting the police officer in question. As the term of office for the TMC government comes to a close, the true colours of the ruling party do not remain hidden from the common people. In the five years, not only Com. Sudipto Gupta but many other individuals who had raised their voice against the government met with a similar fate. Mamata Banerjee and her men have made very clear that, they do not allow space for dissent. All such voices that attempted to point out her many shortcomings were silenced cold bloodedly. Three years have passed since, the death of Com. Sudipto but, justice has not been served to his murderers. Further, undemocratic and unfair activities and campus violence continues unabashed in educational campuses all across the state. Candidates of students’ political groups affiliated to the opposition parties have often been beaten up when they went to submit their candidate applications or the former have not found suitable candidates owing to threats from the TMCP. Thus, the campus has yet failed to return to its original status as a sanctuary for democracy. It isn’t surprising though, that the TMCP has been trying to resist having free and fair elections, after all these are the tactics that have been employed by the political party they are affiliated to for all other elections in the state since their ascent to power in 2011. This year again on the third anniversary of Martyr Com. Sudipto Gupta’s death, we students shall come out on the streets, again demanding that his murderers be brought to justice, campus democracy be restored and that the brazen campus violence come to an end. These have been our primary demands and we have emphasised on the need for these too. But, this year around our appeal is a little different too given the state elections are only days away. This time around, all of us actually have a chance to change things around and see to it that our demands are met. Com. Sudipto Gupta stood for the rights of the people and thus, keeping in mind the fight he was a part of we request you to decide in the favour of the people this year and also, do join us as we walk once again from College Street to Dharmatala on another 2nd April doing justice to the memory of our dear martyr Com. Sudipto Gupta. 29th March, 2016