Thaindian News

Kolkata, Jan 11 (IANS) Harassment of principals and teachers continued in West Bengal, with the principal of a government college in Birbhum fainting Wednesday during a demonstration by the students of the college.

However, a minister questioned the credibility of the principal and claimed he had “staged” the whole incident.

The students involved were reportedly affiliated to the ruling Trinamool Congress’s youth wing, the Trinamool Chatra Parishad.

“Students belonging to a particular student union came barged into principal’s (Sibashish Banerjee) office for the remarks he made against the violence that was perpetuated in the college premises Tuesday. They surrounded him and were aggressively shouting at him. The student demonstrated for more than an hour after which he fainted,” said Jaydeb Pan, a professor of the college.

Banerjee Tuesday had told reporters that he had received threats from supporters of the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad for his remarks.

State Urban Development Minister and senior Trinamool Congress leader Firhad Hakim, however, said that the principal of the college was “biased” and may have even “staged” the whole incident.

“There are complaints of financial irregularities against the principal. A probe to look into the financial authorities will soon be ordered by the education department. The principal must be above politics,” he said.

The principal expressed surprise at the minister’s response.

“I am astonished how such comments can be made after such kind of incidents,” said Banerjee who has been hospitalized after the incident.

In last two week there have been various incidents of students affiliated to either Trinamool Congress or the Communist Party of India-Marxist assaulting principal and teachers of various educational institutions across the state.

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.