Cotton University General Secretary joins BJP amid protests

Things took a turn for the bizarre in Assam’s Cotton University where the newly-elected General Secretary, a staunch supporter of regionalist sentiments, swore his allegiance to the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Abhishek Mahanta’s joining of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) came out of the left-field as he had contested polls under the banner of the Sattra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS), student faction of the Akhil Gogoi founded Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS).

Mahanta's unexpected move has triggered massive protests near the campus and students, many of whom took part in the agitation against the divisive Citizenship Amendment Act, strongly condemned the youth leader.

To add insult to injury, Mahanta was sworn in by Karnataka BJP leader and BJYM national president Tejasvi Surya.
Peeved students have even written to the University’s Registrar seeking Mahanta’s ouster of the Cotton University Students’ Union (CUSU) on the grounds of him joining a political party.

“Since the University’s inception, Cotton has pointed out the flaws in the administration. Therefore, if a prominent student leader joins the ruling party, the very fabric of the University could change for good,” a student told this reporter under the condition of anonymity.

The MNDP and RKB hostels erupted in protests in the wake of Mahanta’s joining and with tyre burning and sloganeering being witnessed near the University premises.