Political clout leads to assault at National College

Today, politics which has set its root deep into corruption has also entered the campus and corridors of Colleges. The Akhil Bharti Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student wing of the BJP has set its roots firm on many college Campuses. Similarly, the Shiv Sena’s student wing is visible in many colleges. The latest entrant to dominate its might is the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidhyarthi Sena, an arm of MNS. Today, the student President of various colleges is dominated by these political parties. Hence, goondaism in colleges has taken a new dimension.

Last week a group of teenagers, who came to National College in Bandra for seeking admission, were assaulted by another group of boys who too had come to the college for admission. The victims—Rizwan Shaikh, Saif Ali Khan and Ramiz Shaikh along with their other colleagues—were waiting on the college campus to inquire about admissions. At that moment they came to the other group and asked them if they were the students of the College and demanded them to show their identity cards. Then a tiff took place between the two groups and a fight erupted. Both groups assaulted each other. In the meanwhile Mashaq Sheikh, Student President of National College entered the campus to find a melee. He intervened to disperse the groups from assaults and managed to flee them out of the college gates. Afterwards, it is understood that a teenager from Rizwan’s group asked Sachin Kunder to come out of the college campus. Then an assault also took place outside the college gate. In the meantime police came on the scene and the boys fled. The incident occurred at 4.30 pm. 
While speaking to Santacruz Patrika, Mashaq Sheikh confirmed and said, “I was not a party in the assault but due to rivalry with Vijay Gore, a member of MNS, he took revenge and helped them to report a case against me.” “Since Vijay Gore and his colleague Akhila Chitre, members of MNS have been trying to show their supremacy in the College, they have earlier also given me threats and have been trying their best to demoralize me and tarnish my image,” added Mashaq.

Further, also while clarifying with Sachin Kunder, the main accused, he told Santacruz Patrika, “While we were standing in the campus, Rizwan and his boys started asking us for our identity cards. Since we questioned their authority they began attacking us and we too in self defence reciprocated.” “After the quarrel as I was relaxing at Bandra an MNS member approached me for a compromise. Since I refused they helped the boys in lodging a complaint against me.” said Sachin. Similarly, others too from the group complained that only Rizwan Sheikh, is a student of the College while his other colleagues were from Rizvi College. “Being outsiders what right do they have to ask us for our IDs”, complained Sachin.
In the assault motorbike chains, stones and steel rods were used. The security guards kept watching and did not intervene. The security guards were probably scared of those goons, as they were from a political party. After the assault the security guards closed the gate. According to college Principal Dinesh Panjwani, both groups were outsiders. College authorities have a CCTV recording of the incident and they will it give to the police. 
Rizwan Sheikh and his colleagues approached Khar police station at 7.30 pm, and were sent to Bhabha Hospital for a medical check-up. The College Principal of R.D.National College Dinesh Panjwani, said, "As soon as I saw the CCTV footage, I immediately ran down, but by then the goons had fled the scene. I will give this footage to the police to find out who is behind this act." The Khar police have lodged an FIR against Vinit, Sachin, Wajid and Mashak and have booked them under Section 323, 324, 504, and 34 of IPC.

There are now many questions that require an answer: Firstly, why are political party representatives allowed a clout in the colleges? Why are outsiders permitted into college campus without proper identification? Why are innocent students and parents made to wait in queues for long hours for getting admissions and these political party representatives given preferential allotment of admissions for a heavy price? It is high time the Education Department conducts an enquiry into the scam in college admissions and way of functioning.