Students lock welfare office in Gazole

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Sept. 10: Several students belonging to the All India Students’ Association, (Aisa) backed by the CPI (ML) Liberation today locked up the office of the backward class welfare in Gazole to protest against an inspector who allegedly harassed students with regard to issue of caste certificates. They prevented the inspector from entering his office today. The students’ staged an agitation in front of the Gazole block development office demanding punishment of the inspector Mr. Manaranjan Das giving an ultimatum to the local administration after locking the door of his office. The AISA leader Mr. Emmanual Hemram said that despite several reminders the administrative officials did not take any action against the inspector. “We have lodged several complaints with the block development officer regarding the inspector Mr. Das who has been harassing the students for with regard to issue of caste certificates. He is reluctant to conduct an inspection in respect of an application without extra money”, said Emmanual Hemram. According to the AISA, there are many seats lying vacant from Jadavpur University to Jawaharlal Nehru University reserved for Schedule Caste and especially Schedule Tribe. But the students in tribal dominated block Gazole are not getting caste certificate due to the reluctance on the part of the inspector. The district administrative officials admitted the problem of the Gazole block and allegation against the inspector responsible for this job. To clear the application backlog, where 150 students apply for caste certificate there, the BDO had to engage extension officers of other department for completion of inspection before recommendation for issuing caste certificate. The BDO, Mrs. S. Bhattacharjee has been asked to take official steps against the inspector based on the complaints lodged by the agitating students’ association. After a few hours, police broke the lock of the office. (END)