THE Students’ Federation of India (SFI) launched an all India campaign against hate, Ekta Express - running from December 6, 2024 to January 30, 2025, to combat communalism and uphold democratic values in educational institutions. As part of this nationwide campaign, ‘Ekta Express @ Mumbai: a Student Convention on Harmony and Campus Democracy’ was organised on January 18, 2025, at Mumbai, Maharashtra. The convention brought together students, academics, artists, and journalists in a collective effort to promote harmony and campus democracy. It was hosted by Students for Democracy, a collective that was initiated by the SFI Maharashtra state committee, of dedicated university students from various institutions in the state committed to secularism, cultural diversity, and student rights.

With over 300 student delegates from institutions such as IIT Bombay, the University of Mumbai, TISS, Savitribai Phule Pune University, and other universities, the event marked a powerful stand against communalism, student suppression, and threats to campus democracy across the country. Mumbai was chosen as a symbolic venue considering the recent attacks on students and the curbing of democracy in institutions like TISS and IIT Bombay etc. The event also addressed increased disciplinary actions against students, the lack of student union elections, and the influence of Sangh Parivar politics on campuses.

A PLATFORM FOR

DIALOGUE AND UNITY

The convention featured two insightful panel discussions. The first, titled ‘Quality Education and Campus Democracy’, was led by renowned economist Prof                            R Ramakumar and Nitheesh Narayanan. The speakers highlighted the issues related to the National Education Policy as well as threats faced by students, faculty, and staff in educational institutions for expressing their opinions. Prof Ramakumar emphasized the urgent need to protect the secular and democratic character of Indian universities both in curricular and extra-curricular spaces, stressing that collective issues must be resisted collectively. The panel discussion concluded with an interactive session where students actively engaged with the speakers.

The second panel, ‘Artists for Harmony and Beyond’, brought together renowned musician and dalit activist Sambhaji Bhagat, Dipsita Dhar and Srijan Bhattacharya. The discussion revolved around the role of art in shaping social consciousness, with the speakers advocating for taking art to the masses as a tool to promote unity and harmony. The panel also addressed the increasing attacks on free expression of art by Sangh Parivar politics and called for strong resistance within universities. Sambhaji Bhagat followed the panel with an electrifying performance, using music to critique the present state of declining democracy in India.

The convention was enriched with diverse cultural performances that celebrated resistance and unity. The art exhibition ‘Beyond Dispute: Landscapes of Dissent’ by the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) was inaugurated by the renowned cartoonist Uttam Ghosh, bringing forth powerful visual narratives of dissent and democracy. The exhibition materials were originally produced in 2018 by a group of artists at the call of SAHMAT to mark the 25th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, as an artistic response to the communal agenda of the Sangh Parivar.

A state-level competition, Ekta Quiz, was held, attracting enthusiastic participation from students. The quiz focused on exchanging knowledge around progressive values, people’s history of Mumbai and harmony in general; winners were awarded cash prizes and other mementos. Music was a central part of the convention, with performances by Lok Sanskritik Manch, Mumbai, a group known for its revolutionary and Ambedkarite songs, and Goonj, a student cultural collective from TISS Mumbai.

In the concluding session, student leaders Mayukh Biswas (all India general secretary, SFI), V P Sanu (all India president, SFI) and Aishe Ghosh (former JNUSU president) collectively appealed for unity and harmony on Indian campuses. They criticised BJP government policies that threaten student rights and called for the restoration of student union elections and democratic spaces in universities.

The convention opened with an introduction by Rohidas Jadhav (state secretary, SFI Maharashtra) and concluded with remarks by Ramadas Prini Sivanandan (central executive committee member, SFI). Both underscored the importance of building united platforms across Maharashtra and encouraged individuals and organizations to join the movement for campus democracy and resistance against Hindutva politics. They commended the strong student turnout and affirmed that similar initiatives would continue to mobilise the student community against divisive forces while strengthening the call for democratic campuses.

Ekta Express @ Mumbai was more than just a one-day event – it was a resolute declaration by students refusing to be silenced. The convention’s success reaffirmed the commitment of young minds to challenge divisive ideologies and reclaim educational spaces as centres of democracy, rationality, and inclusivity. The success of this convention will resonate far beyond Mumbai and Maharashtra.