Anarchy in education, TMC assaulting teachers

People of West Bengal are now really being scared of observing the daily newspapers or even the TV News bulletins. Each day a new horrible story of beating either a principal of a college or a head master of a school or even harassing a vice chancellor is on the first page. Unfortunately, in almost all the cases Trinamool Congress leaders are in the forefront of the attacks, which has disappointed the educationalists.

During Left Front regime, the CPM activists were aggressive to keep control over the students unions. This is because the unions hold good amount of money paid as Union Fees through College administration. The unions organize cultural programmes like fests, freshers and that helps them to harvest good premium. To attain the goal, CPM backed SFI leaders used to conduct election in such a manner that the oppositions were unable to contest. After the gory days of 70s, clashes between two students’ groups were known, but never the Pricipals or head of the institutions were subject to such attacks.

With the political change at the Writers’ Buildings, the ground reality has changed to further worsen it. Two days back, Trinamool Congress cadres, led by Raigunj’s TMC president Tilak Chowdhury and his Councillor wife, humiliated and severally beaten up the Principal of the Raigunj University College Dilip De Sarkar. They alleged that the administration led by him is playing in the hands of INC-backed students’ union and plotting to bar TMC’s students’ union TMCP. They chased the Principal from one floor to another floor, locked him in a room for long, brought him on the ground floor by holding his shirts’ color and beat him with bamboo sticks. Another professor Debashish Biswas got head injury while he went to save the Principal. Police contingent present there didn’yt stop the attackers, but those students who tried to save the Principal. Whole incident was televised by a private TV channel (Star Ananda).

And as usual, just after the incident, TMCP activists blame not the Lefts, but the Chhatra Parishad (Bengal version of NSUI) for whole incident and said the Principal is a Leftist and now being backed by Congress. Even the Education Minister Bratya Basu, termed the incident ‘unfortunate’, but did not condemn the attack and again parroted the local TMC’s version. Neither he took any step to protect the Principal and the teaching staff, but accepted the humiliated and injured Principal’s resignation. Later police arrested 11 TMCP activists, but under Bailable charges and they procured the same easily. But the police did not arrest the TMC president Tilak Chowdhury or the district TMCP leader who led the violent attack. Local OC rather requested them to surrender, which bewildered even the Police Super of the district, who said, “Different approach for the accused in a case is unacceptable”. Suspension order has been issued against a Sub Inspector, not the OC.

On the same day TMC activists also beat up a Head Master of Kailashchandra Radharani High School Mr. Utpal Dutta of the same town. Even the lady teachers of the school were not spared. Mr Dutta lodged complains against the TMC hooligans, but none arrested. “We will lodge complain to the DM and District School Inspector”, Said Mt Dutta adding, “The total teaching staff have decided to allow 72 hors for the police to arrest the culprits or they will boycott classes.”.

The next day’s newspaper carried another such story. TMCP activists locked up the teacher-professors and the Principal of Sri Agrasen College of Dalkhola under Gangarampur lock of North Dinajpur. They have to face tremendous humiliation through out the day and no police party reached there to save them. Local TMC leader Biplab Mitra released them at late evening. The attackers didn’t show any reason for their attack, although rumours that they have complains regarding students’ admission. Incidentally, the VC of Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata was under Grerao by the same organization (TMCP) demanding resignation of the Dean of Arts department. They submitted their memorandum only when the Gherao was withdrawn at the afternoon.

Interestingly, this not the beginning but recurrence. The first of such case happened at Jadavpur High School, where hooligans, led by three elected councilors of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, attacked the Head Master and other teaching staff, including the lady staffs, on the pretext of students’ admission. The incident, being televised, drag wide ranging condemnation and police was forced to arrest one leaving the Councilors free. The arrested person also got easy Bail as the charges leveled were Bailable.

One may recall, the Vice Chancellor of Burdwan University and a well known scientist Subrata Pal met the state governor few months back and intended to resign from his post as the ‘condition is not conducive for study.’ VC of prestigious Presidency College University was intended to tender her papers and go back to Jadavpur University. VC of North Bengal University, who has been fighting against and taking actions the corruptions, led by CPM boss Ashok Bhattacharje, now facing ire of TMC-backed employees. He also sent his papers, but asked to continue. But, employees are on strike till date and the stalemate is continuing.

Educationalists like Prof. Sunandaa Sanyal, Sahitya Academy Chief Sunil Gangopadhyay, novelist Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay and Chief of the Mentor Group of Presidency College Prof Sugato Basu condemned the attacks and expressed their concern over the situation in education sector. Prof. Sanyal said, “People wanted a change of partiocractic system for democracy. It seems, we do have to struggle further for the goal.” Eminent intellectual and Theatre personality Kaushik Sen said, “It is regretful that such incidents are happening. An educational institution is meant for studying and not for fighting and beating up our own teachers and principals.” Novelist Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay feels, This is really shameful. Strict action should be taken against the culprits.”