Watch: TMC MP Sugata Bose's moving speech on the current situation in Indian universities

Many speakers on the first day of the budget session of the Parliament talked about the prevailing education system in Indian universities. While Smriti Irani, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Owaisi's speeches were high on political rhetoric, TMC MP from Jadavpur Sugata Bose touched a chord with his scholarly oration. 

While he also toed the line of his party, he spoke in such an erudite manner that it impressed many people. Even those who are generally opposed to TMC praised the speech. 

Excerpts from his speech: 

“Rohith’s tragedy should have stirred our collective conscience, including that of our government. Unfortunately, we have a heartless government. That refuses to listen to the cries of despair coming from the marginalised sections of our society. Instead of assuring social justice to all, the ruling party wishes to use the unrest in our universities to claim a monopoly on nationalism, and tar all of their critics with the brush of anti-nationalism. I am not a communist.. but I stand today in support of the right to freedom of expression by young students who may be inspired by Marx as well as Ambedkar. Madam Speaker, I am a nationalist… I believe in a kind of nationalism that instils a spirit of selfless service in our people and inspires their creative efforts… I deplore the kind of nationalism espoused by the members of the treasury benches that I find narrow, selfish and arrogant.” 

Watch the full speech here: