Kolkata, Jan 17 (IANS) In a bid to shield Trinamool Congress supporters accused of assaulting and harassing principals of several colleges, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday accused the Marxists of appointing “political recruits” to key posts across the state during their rule.

The principal and some teachers of the Raiganj government college in North Dinajpur district were severely beaten up a few weeks back by the supporters of the Trinamool Chatra Parishad (TMCP) after heated exchanges between the college authorities and TMCP members over students’ union elections.

“The comrades (CPI-M) have appointed these political principals. What will the new government do? Are we going to worship them? I don’t want the principals to be beaten up. But whoever is involved in corrupt practices, there will have to face investigation,” said Banerjee while addressing a programme here.

Another principal of Rampurhat College in Birbhum district fell ill after he was harassed by the students affiliated to Trinamool Congress for two hours.

“In many colleges, teachers in charge have been made principals. The principals of the Raiganj and Rampurhat colleges were originally teacher-in-charge of their respective colleges. They were made principals. Even if I am involved in a corruption, there will be an investigation against it also. They are political recruits,” said Banerjee.

“We respect teachers and principals but we don’t support the moles of the CPI-M,” she said.

The Mamata Banerjee government has drawn severe criticism from all quarters of the society after it took a dual approach in dealing with accused in these incidents according to their political affiliations.

While the perpetrators of the violence in Raiganj were slapped with bailable sections by the police, those affiliated to the Communist Party of India-Marxist students’ arm in Majdia College in Nadia district had to face stringent non-bailable sections for allegedly manhandling the principal.