By IANS,
Kolkata: Two teachers, including the principal, of a college in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district were allegedly assaulted by students owing allegiance to the Trinamool Congress Saturday.
Higher Education Minister Bratya Basu said the guilty would not be spared.
The incident occurred in Jhargram Raj College when principal Kishore Kumar Rai and teacher Debashis Sarkar tried to intervene during a scuffle between two groups of students belonging to the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) – the students’ wing of the ruling Trinamool.
“I was attacked by Soumen Acharya the district vice president of the TMCP. The attack took place when we tried to intervene during a scuffle,” Rai said.
While Rai was admitted to Jhargram district hospital with injuries on his cheek and eyes, Debashish Sarkar the teacher, received minor injuries.
“We have received a complaint and are investigating the matter. A police picket has been already posted in the college,” police said.
“I have heard about the matter. I will meet the victims personally and enquire. Those found guilty will be suitably punished,” the higher education minister of the state said.
The Congress was quick to condemn the incident and demanded punishment for the guilty.
“We condemn the assault on the teachers. The administration should ensure that such incidents are not repeated by punishing those responsible for the attack,” Congress state general secretary O.P. Mishra said.
Educationist Sunanda Sanyal said things have not improved despite the change of regime in the state. “Earlier during the rule of the Communist Party of India – Marxist such incidents used to take place. We wanted a “parivartan” (change, also one of the election slogans of the Trinamool Congress) so as to improve matters. But alas! Nothing has changed,” he said.
Several incidents of attack on teachers in the state have been reported this year.
The principal and some teachers of Raiganj Government College in North Dinajpur district were severely beaten by the supporters of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad earlier this year.
The principal of Rampurhat College in Birbhum district fell ill after he was harassed for two hours by students affiliated to Trinamool Congress.
The principal of Majdia College in Nadia district was allegedly manhandled by student belonging to the students’ wing of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M).