Statesman News Service
MALDA, Feb. 12: The state school education minister Mr Partha De stayed off Malda today apparently to avoid a demonstration by the agitating Primary Teachers’ Training Institute students. The minister was scheduled to inaugurate the 26th state-level primary children sports meet in Malda today
In view of the minister's proposed visit, the Malda district magistrate Mr Sridhar Ghosh had yesterday asked the local SDO to persuade the agitators to call off their hunger strike but the PTTI ex-students ignored the appeal and continued with their stir. It is learnt that District Intelligence Branch officials cautioned the authority that the agitating PTTI students intended to wave black flag and agitate at various points including the Malda town station and the district sports association ground, the venue of the state level meets to express grievance against the state education department.
Although the local CPI-M leaders including MLAs and officials did not explain the cause of the minister's absence, confusing statements came from the school council officials and education department officials on the issue.
“I have heard that the minister is busy with his family and had to go his hometown Bankura yesterday,” claimed Mr Uttam Sarkar, chairman of the district primary school council. Education department officials who arrived in Malda today to attend the programme said: “The minister is working in his office in Kolkata.”
Finally, the minister for environment and state parliamentary affairs Mr Sailen Sarkar inaugurated the meet, which was delayed for over two hours due to mismanagement.
The guests, the chairmen DPSC from other districts, MLAs both of the CPI-M and Congress, education officials and primary teachers criticised the mismanagement and organisers when they noticed that participants from Malda district were without shoes during march-past.
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