Bengal govt may ban teachers from contesting polls

West Bengal’s minister for Panchayat Subrata Mukherjee has hinted that teachers may be barred from contesting panchayat elections.

According to the minister, the very idea is to ‘keep education system free from politics'. He even mentioned that if the present law does not bar teachers from contesting, then government may amend it.

A section of teachers who is considered close to CPM views the Trinamool government's move as a threat to teaching fraternity's political ambitions.

“There was no need to view this move with as a ‘threat' had there not been violent incidents in universities and colleges during the last few months,” feels D. Singh, head master at a Hooghly school.

In fact, the violence against teaching community in the state has time and again perturbed the Education Minister Bratya Basu as well as the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Unfortunately, TMC leaders and cadres were involved with most the cases for sheer party-interest’, not for the greater one.

It all started with thrashing of the head master of Jadavpur University by a mob led by local TMC Councilor on December 18, 2011, demanding admission of students. Even the middle-standard students, who tried to save their teachers, were not spared. Education minister had to intervene and the Head Master was found right as the admission notifications issued by two wings of education department were conflicting. Since then, series of such incidents whiffed Bengali intelligentsia. Professors, lecturers, teachers, even lady teachers were beaten up by the Trinamool Congress’s students wing TMCP.

Principal of Raigunj College and Rampurhat College were beaten up. Unfortunately, TMC-backed students were involved in both the cases. Police initially preferred not to irritate ruling party bosses, but were later forced to arrest the attackers. But, the cases leveled against them were so weak and ‘bailable’. But, the supporters of SFI, the students’ wing of CPI(M), were treated differently as they ‘gheraoed’ the Principal of Majdia College. They languished behind the bar for 14 days before the High Court intervened to release them on bail.

While this was going on, the Education department was busy in changing VCs of different universities branding them as ‘stooges of CPI(M)’. Government’s wish gave enough indication to its cadres who made atmosphere for education a hell.

Vice-chancellor of Burdwan University Prof Subrata Pal, a scientist of international repute, wrote a letter to Chancellor as well as Governor M K Narayanan expressing willingness to quit. He wrote, "I find with utter dismay that over the last several months, the general environment has become more and more inhospitable for an academic person to discharge the duty of a vice-chancellor.”

The atmosphere was vitiated after a minister directly intervened in administrative system of the University. VC of Presidency University Prof. Amita Chattopadhyay also quit the job to join teaching profession in Jadavpur University.

Without making the list lengthy, the incidents of Partha Sarathi Roy, a scientist of Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER), Prof. Ambikesh Mahapatra of Jadavpur University and Prof. (Retd.) Aparesh Bhattacharya of Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) needs to be mentioned. Ambikesh Mahapatra’s arrest on ‘Facebook-Cartoon case’ was denounced by all national dailies and civil society. Aparesh Bhattacharya and his daughter were beaten up and dragged out of their rented house by a mob, led by members of a TMC-backed club. The reason behind is simple —vacate the house to pave way for realtor estate and premium to political clouts. Parth Sarathi Roy was arrested as he stood by the inhumanely evicted slum-dwellers of Nonadanga. He was released by the Court after 55 eminent persons like Aruna Roy or Noam Chomsky shoot a letter to Prime Minister protesting is arrest.

At last but not the least was lady professor Debjani De’s incident at Bhangar College. She was hit by a metal water jug by ex-MLA and TMC leader Arabul Islam, who happens to be President of the College Governing Body. Non-graduate Arabul was nominated to the President’s post by the Education Department, which publicly propagates to ‘free the education system from politics’.

Prof Sunanda Sanyal, educationalist Miratun Nahar, Prof. Tarun Sanyal, poet-novelist Jaya Mitra, Actor-director Kaushik Sen, educationalist Abhirup Sarkar of Prof. Sukanta Chowdhury, a member of the Presidecy Mentor group, have time and again expressed their displeasure over the incidents. But this are going on till date and showing no respite.