Students Protest Against Mumbai University's Academy of Theatre Arts...Inquiry Committee Set Up...Director Yogesh Soman Sent On Leave
January 15, 2020 5:54:28 PM IST MTG editorial
Yogesh Soman, Director, Academy Of Theatre Arts, Mumbai University
The Academy Of Theatre Arts at Mumbai University has been at the centre of protests since November last year but issues came to a head on 13th January 2020. The majority of the students are protesting the inadequate facilities provided by the Academy with a host of other issues such as lack of competent teachers and the overt emphasis on Hindi and Marathi languages. Students come from all over the country, including states like Assam to study at the Academy. The students are not happy with the way the Director of the Academy, Yogesh Soman has been handling the issues. Please click here to know the students' views and demands in this regard.
Yogesh Soman's appointment as the Director of the Academy has also been a matter of controversy. He was appointed Director in place of Dr. MangeshBansod, who was the In-charge Director earlier. Dr. Bansod is now Senior Assistant Professor at the Academy. It has been alleged that Yogesh Soman's appointment has been made because of Mr. Soman's upper caste status. There are also questions raised about his academic credentials.
Mahesh Samant, Student Leader closely associated with Chhatra Yuva Sangarsh Samiti(CYSS), the students' wing of the Aam Aadmi Party, says: "We have been following up with the Vice Chancellor as regards the students' grievances which are largely unresolved. Irrespective of the politics around Mr. Soman, the issue is primarily regarding the Academy's inadequate competency in both faculty and facility. The professional and academic standards of training students in Theatre Arts should not get lost in the noise."
The University has asked Yogesh Soman to go on leave. The "forced leave" is also compounded by Yogesh Soman's remarks on Rahul Gandhi on Twitter in the context of the Hindutva ideologue Savarkar. Other student unions like Chhatra Bharati, NSUI and AISF have also protested the Director's remarks.
Students of the Academy of Theatre Arts however emphasise that while they have received support from students' associations of the various political parties, their protest is essentially apolitical and the core issues at stake are of mismanagement and the credibility of the Director.
