Political row: MU scraps training

The University of Mumbai (MU) on Saturday had to terminate a training programme for its senior administration at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP), a think-tank affiliated

The University of Mumbai (MU) on Saturday had to terminate a training programme for its senior administration at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini (RMP), a think-tank affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), after students raised objection over the “political nature” of the training.

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The university had organised a two-day residential training camp for 30 of its senior administrative officers, including deputy registrars and assistant registrars, by RMP at Uttan, Bhayandar, on Friday and Saturday. The university paid the RMP around ₹2 lakh for the residential training programme.

However, the programme was terminated midway on Saturday after Yuva Sena members raised an issue with the programme which had a session titled ‘Sangh Bandhni’. Yuva Sena slammed the varsity for taking part in RSS-backed training.

“We are aware that RMP is a politically-motivated organisation with links to the RSS...they were planning to mobilise university officials and affiliate them to the Sangh,” said Pradip Sawant, a Yuva Sena member.

The university maintained that the training had no political links.

“We conduct regular training programmes with various think-tanks... There was no political agenda,” said a senior university official, who did not wish to be named.

Ravindra Sathe, director general of RMP, said the training was focussed on improving soft skills of varsity officials and did not have any political agenda.

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