MU’s Kalina campus to provide parking facility for Shinde faction rally, student bodies write to Koshyari in protest

The university administration has maintained that it has permitted the use of its premises based on a request by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

But Mumbai University’s former Senate members from Yuva Sena, the youth wing of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, has alleged that the varsity administration has violated regulations by allowing use of its land by a third party without taking approval for it from the Management Council.

The youth wing has now written to the Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, demanding action against the use of university premises for political reasons.

“The premises have been provided for parking purposes free-of-cost, following a request from the BMC. The area will be used for parking of vehicles on October 5, when a programme is to be held at MMRDA’s BKC ground,” said an university officer, adding that parking was free of cost because the government has requested it.

The BMC has already started work of cleaning the area near Ambedkar Bhavan on Kalina campus to ready it for parking purposes.

But former Senate members of Yuva Sena have taken objection after seeing the ongoing work on campus. “All decision-making bodies of the university have been dissolved currently, after completion of tenure. The university requires a nod from the Management Council to allow an outsider to use its land for any purpose. No such permission was taken. Moreover, this is not a government programme but a political event and thus the varsity’s decision in this case has to be scrutinised,” said Pradeep Sawant from Yuva Sena, who is also a former Senate member of the university.

Students’ organisation Chatra Bharati has also written to the Governor, demanding an inquiry into allowing varsity land for political events.

The students’ wing of NCP has also warned of a protest at the Kalina campus if the decision is not reversed. “We will not allow any vehicle to enter the campus,” said Amol Matele, head of NCP’s youth organisation.