The TMCP rally on Monday. (Pradip Sanyal)	The students’ rally on Friday. (Amit Dutta)

JU: Hok Kolorob

TMC: Hok Gorjon/ Hok protirodh

JU: Hok Hok Hok Kolorob

TMC: Gola milie bolo shob, Bondho hok kolorob

JU: Hatey hatey comrade
Gore tolo barricade

TMC: Dekhe ja re comrade
Bhenge galo barricade

Eki holo comrade
Bhenge galo barricade

JU: Amra sabai bohiragoto
Thakbo pashe marbe joto

TMC: Andoloner gopon sur
Bohiragotoy bhorpur

JU: Lathir mukhe gaaner sur
Dekhie dilo Jadavpur

TMC: Nach gaan hattali
Jadavpur holo baroari

JU: Lorai lorai lorai chai
Lorai kore bachte chai

TMC: Eksathe lorte hobe
Sonar bangla gorte hobe

Eksathe porte hobe
Sonar bangla gorte hobe

Class-e gie porte hobe
Sonar bangla gorte hobe

Gherao bondho korte hobe
Sonar bangla gorte hobe

Astro chhere porte hobe
Sonar bangla gorte hobe

JU: Lathir mukhe gaaner sur
Poth dekhalo Jadavpur

TMC: Jete hobe onekdur
Dekhie debo Jadavpur

Jete hobe onekdur
Amra jabo Jadavpur

Jete hobe onekdur
Amra bachabo Jadavpur

Also heard in Monday’s rally

Amra sobai porte chai
Gherao theke mukti chai

Mao Maku-r aki sur
Dekhie dilo Jadavpur

Maobadi-der biruddhe
Lorte hobe eksathe

Nokshalider biruddhe
Lorte hobe eksathe

SFI-er biruddhe
lorte hobe eksathe

Lorte hobe eksathe

Mao maku-der chamra
Gutie debo amra

Mod gaja bondho
Jadavpure gondho

Rater adhare chhilo kara
Kara kara kara kara

Chhatro Samir, Sujan, Asim
Protibad na ghorar dim

Suman, Swastika dicchhe daak
Chhatro gundami swikriti paak

71 oder ferot chai
Jadavpur-er kakamoshai

Kole shue neshay chur
Dekhie dilo Jadavpur

Mod gajay poreche taan
Taai akhon protibader gaan

 

united by a cause, divided by the lack of it

 

Monday’s protest. (Pradip Sanyal)	Saturday’s protest. (Anup Bhattacharya)

SIMILARITIES

ROUTE: Both rallies followed the same route: Academy of Fine Arts to Gandhi statue on Mayo Road.

SCHOOL STUDENTS: Both processions had hundreds of school students, but the Trinamul one had more of them. Some students were asked to join the rally when they reached school on Monday morning.

DIFFERENCES

HEADCOUNT
JU: About 40,000
TMC: About 12,000

WHO WALKED
JU: Predominantly students from JU and other institutes, many former students of JU, several teachers and a handful of people from other walks of life, including celebrities like Suman Mukhopadhyay, Swastika Mukherjee and Anjan Dutt.
TMC: Sixty per cent of them were students. The rest were school and college teachers. A large section of people were from other walks of life, from Rajarhat syndicate members to drivers.

POLITICAL AFFILIATION

JU: Many students who were never associated with any political group on their campus walked.
TMC: All those who walked were supporters of Trinamul-affiliated units.

WHY THEY CAME

JU: Everyone knew the reason: to demand the VC’s resignation and a fair probe into the molestation complaint, and to protest the alleged police assault and the government’s handling of the situation.
TMC: Many fumbled when asked why they were walking. One said: “The VC, who is still gheraoed, should be allowed to leave.”

WHAT THEY CHANTED

JU: Innovative slogans, packed with wit and humour. The ones like “Ei shotabdir duti bhul/CPM aar Trinamul” have touched those who are not supporting the JU movement but are fed up with both parties.
TMC: Much better than the usual Vande Mataram or Mamata Banerjee zindabad stuff heard at Trinamul rallies. One slogan went: “Gola miliye bolo sob/bondho hok kolorob.” But there were some in bad taste: “Hok kyalano (let there be a thrashing)”.

HOW THEY CAME

JU: Ninety to ninety-five per cent took public transport to come to the rally. Students from a few colleges came in hired Matadors. The fact that most of the students were from Calcutta helped.
TMC: Buses, SUVs and Matadors were hired. Queensway, the road in front of Victoria Memorial, was packed with parked cars and buses, in violation of a high court order. Hired vehicles were mostly for those from the fringes or districts.

POLICE REACTION

JU: Cops were cautious. The pavements along Mayo Road were blocked. No one was allowed to cross over to the other side. Anyone trying to leave had to come back towards Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
TMC: Police seemed a little relaxed. The northern pavement of Mayo Road was open. Trinamul supporters were allowed to leave through the pavement.

AFTER PROCESSION

JU: A 10-member team that went to meet the governor returned after two hours and found about 2,500 protesters still sitting on Mayo Road.
TMC: When Shanku Deb Panda returned about 40 minutes, he found hardly 500 rallyists on Mayo Road.