ABAVP brings back rebel leader

ABAVP brings back rebel leader

30 January 2012

SILIGURI, 30 JAN: In order to teach local rebel leaders a lesson, the Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad (ABAVP) state leadership reinstated another rebel leader of the outfit in the Dooars, Mr Rajesh Lakra, who had resigned a year ago.
ABAVP state president Birsa Tirkey formed a two member ad hoc committee appointing Mr Rajesh Lakra as its secretary. Mr Tirkey was prevented by local rebellion, allegedly under the leadership of Mr John Barla, former regional president, from organising a meeting at Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri yesterday. Mr Tirkey said that he had appointed Mr Babulal Kujur as president and Mr Lakra as secretary of the ad hoc committee for the Dooars. The term of the ad hoc committee is six months and the committee would bring in other members to run organisational activities.
“A few members of the existing committee were inactive when the Mr Barla was terminated. I did not want to form the ad hoc committee but I had to take the decision in consultation with my colleagues to resolve the present crisis in the Dooars,” Mr Tirkey said.
The ABAVP state leadership had terminated Mr Barla and suspended other leaders including, Mr Sukra Munda, who was the chairman of the ABAVP-backed Progressive Tea Workers’ Union (PTWU), on charges of singing a pact with the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM).
They had agreed to form the Gorkha and Adivasi Territorial Administration (GATA) and offered additional lands from the Terai and the Dooars to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) allegedly without prior approval of the state leadership.
Mr Barla lodged a complaint with the party’s central leadership against the state president’s unilateral decision to form ad hoc committee without dissolving the existing committee. sns

GJMM deadline on GTA

GJMM deadline on GTA 
SILIGURI, 29 JAN: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) has set a 27 March deadline for the state government to implement its demand for a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) for the Darjeeling Hills, failing which it said it will be forced to renew its demand for a separate state. The GJMM general secretary, Mr Roshan Giri, said the party president, Mr Bimal Gurung, had set the deadline for implementation of the GTA. “We will go in for an agitation demanding a separate state if the government fails to implement the GTA within March,” Mr Giri added.

Siliguri SDO unhappy with Trinamul minister’s attitude

Siliguri SDO unhappy with Trinamul minister’s attitude

23 January 2012

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 23 JAN: After the change of guard at Writers’ Buildings this
is the first time in north Bengal that an IAS officer has expressed
unhappiness over alleged misbehaviour from a Cabinet minister of the
Mamata Banerjee government.

Siliguri SDO Sourav Pahari today said he was hurt with the language
that the minister concerned had used while talking to him over phone
yesterday.

It was learnt from administrative officials now based in north Bengal
that several IAS officials had privately taken exception to the
minister's choice of words, but so far they have not openly expressed
annoyance on the matter.

Mr Pahari said the minister had called him last afternoon regarding
the North Bengal Festival that is scheduled to be inaugurated by the
chief minister in Siliguri on 10 February.

“The minister asked me why I had not attended the meeting convened to
discuss preparations regarding the festival. I explained to him that I
had not been officially informed about the meeting. I also told him
firmly yet politely that it was against the official protocol to
attend meeting without being informed beforehand,” the Siliguri SDO
said.

It was learnt from other administrative officials that Mr Deb warned
Mr Pahari that he would not be allowed to get close to the chief
minister during her upcoming Siliguri visit.

Mr Pahari said he would not attend the chief minister’s programme
unless officially asked to do. “If the chief minister calls me I am
duty-bound to go. Otherwise I would not voluntarily approach her. This
is something which stands against my sense of dignity,” he said.

When asked to clarify whether the information office in Siliguri had
dispatched the letter to the SDO Siliguri sub-divisional information
officer Jagadish Roy said the staff concerned had handed over the
letter to the SDO office. “I do not know whether anybody in the SDO
office had officially received the letter,” he said. When informed of
the matter, the senior Trinamul Congress leader and state public
health engineering and panchayat minister Mr Subrata Mukherjee said he
would inquire into the matter.

Dalmore Tea Estate reopens

23 January 2012

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 23 JAN: The management of the closed Dalmore Tea Estate at
Birpara in the Dooars was reopened today. The estate was closed on 27
September 2011 when the new management allegedly failed to run the tea
plantation properly.

The new management, having failed to manage ‘imbalanced’ land and
labour ratio, had issued notice for suspension of work. A total of
1,021 permanent workers and nearly 100 other staff were rendered
jobless. Expressing happiness over the reopening of the tea
plantation, Jalpaiguri district magistrate Ms Smaraki Mahapatra said
the administration would extend all co-operation ~ implementing
100-days job and other basic needs to the workers of the sick tea
estate.

“After the tea estate was closed we had started implementing Mahatma
Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in and around
Dalmore Tea Estate so that the jobless workers can get alternative job
and earn their livelihood,” said Ms Smaraki Mahapatra.

“We have decided to continue the programme. Action plan for
construction of road, drain and pond within the plantation area would
be made in consultation with the management of the tea estate, workers
and local panchayat members,” she said.

“We had launched the MGNREGA scheme in many sick tea plantation
areas,” she added.

Govt slams Tea Board for closed plantations

Govt slams Tea Board for closed plantations

19 January 2012

statesman news service
SILIGURI, 19 JAN: At a time when two more tea workers of the closed Dheklapara Tea Estate are struggling for their lives at Jalpaiguri District Hospital, blame-game has started between the state government and Indian Tea Board officials on the issue of abandoned tea plantations in the region.
Mr Jiban Oraon (57), an allegedly malnourished tea worker and Mrs Joshoda Oraon (60), suffering from liver problem, are undergoing treatment at the district hospital.
Following the death of nine tea workers at Dheklapara owing to alleged starvation over the past few months (official records show only six tea workers have died) government officials, including north Bengal development affairs minister Mr Gautam Deb, alleged that the tea board members were reluctant to take any initiative to revive the closed tea estates.
Reacting to minister Mr Deb’s comment, one of the tea board officials in Siliguri said the government should take proper initiative in the interest of the workers of the abandoned tea plantations.
Sources said the state might approach the Centre to take action against the tea planters on the basis of the Tea Act 1953 in connection with fund diversion and other financial irregularities.
A total of seven tea gardens are closed in the Hills, Terai and Dooars. “The matter is under consideration of the state labour minister, Mr Purnendu Bose, and other top officials whether it will approach the Centre to take appropriate action since the state cannot exercise the Tea Act,” a senior departmental official said.
An official associated with the labour department said the tea board should keep a strict vigil on the planters in the interest of the labourers.
After visiting Dheklapara Tea Estate thrice, Mr Deb said: “Congress MLAs and leaders, who are members of the tea board should take up the matter with the Centre to resolve the crisis in the tea plantations in the interest of jobless workers. However, they are completely reluctant.”
The deputy director of Tea Board in Siliguri, Mr KK Bhattacharya, said: “The top tea board officials usually implement the Tea Act 1953. We cannot do anything from our level.”
Mr Bhattacharya said: “Can the Tea Board take over a closed tea garden? We only assist tea plantations in various forms to develop tea industries. We have nothing to do when a tea plantation is closed due to litigation. The state should take up various programmes for the betterment of the tea plantation workers.” The tea board has made security arrangements for the protection of assets of the Dheklapara Tea Estate following a Calcutta High Court order.
The Jalpaiguri chief medical officer of health, Dr Swapan Sarkar, said: “The condition of two tea workers, who are undergoing treatment at the district hospital, is critical. A few ailing tea workers are being treated at Birpara health centre.” “Not only at Dheklapara but tea workers associated with other tea estates are also suffering,” said Dr Sarkar. “Tea workers at Lankapara, Tulshipara, Dalmore, Singhnia and other areas in the Dooars are suffering from chikungunya and dengue. However, there is no death report. We are trying to combat the situation,” said Dr Sarkar.

Govt mulls monthly allowance for closed tea garden workers

Govt mulls monthly allowance for closed tea garden workers

18 January 2012

statesman news service

SILIGURI, 18 JAN: After the death of six tea workers allegedly due to starvation, the state labour department has decided to provide financial assistance to all 484 permanent tea workers of the closed Dheklapara Tea Estate on a monthly basis.

Earlier, the payment used to be made on a quarterly basis. The state government gives  the Financial Assistance to Workers of Locked-out Industries (FAWLOI) of Rs 1,500 for each permanent worker.

The decision was taken following a report, which was submitted today by the additional labour commissioner, Mr Pashupati Ghosh. Mr Ghosh had visited the tea estate on 16 January. Administrative sources said the state labour department, considering the plight of the jobless tea workers, had planned to take action against the planters of the closed tea plantations, based on the Tea Act 1953, in connection with tea (marketing) control, creation of encumbrance or diversion of funds and other financial irregularities, following recommendations of departmental officials.

The labour commissioner today approved the proposal to provide FAWLOI to the next of kin of the four victims of the closed tea plantation at Dekhlapara in Alipurduar. The state labour department today confirmed that of the four permanent tea workers, who had rendered jobless and died owing to prolonged diseases and malnourishment, used to get the FAWLOI from the state government.

Notably, six tea workers died there over the past few months, one of the administrative officials said. The workers, whose families will receive financial aid, have been identified as Shil Tanti (53), Bijoy Tanti (35), Rangia Khera (50) and Pradhan Tanti (45). The FAWLOI would be given to the next of kin of the four victims up to the age of 58 (age of retirement) of the deceased.

“The district officials of our department will prepare document on spot so that the family members can receive the financial assistance as early as possible,” said the additional labour commissioner.

The state labour department’s records show that a total of 602 workers were associated with the Dhelkapara Tea Estate when it was closed. When the labour department had sought applications from the jobless tea workers a few years ago, a total of 493 workers were listed as beneficiaries. As of today a total of 484 permanent workers are receiving the FAWLOI. Of them four workers have died.

The causal tea workers in tea plantations are not entitled to claim the FAWLOI. In north Bengal, out of seven closed tea plantations, permanent tea workers associated with three gardens receive the FAWLOI.

The three closed tea plantations are Ringtone Tea Estate and Kanchen View Tea Estate in the Hills and Dheklapara Tea Estate in Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri. According to the labour department, four others ~ Panighata Tea Estate in the Terai, Dalsingpara Tea Estate, Dalmore Tea Estate and Turturi Tea Estate in the Dooars ~ have been closed recently due to litigation and conflict between the management and labour unions.

GJMM threatens fresh stir

GJMM threatens fresh stir

17 January 2012

KOLKATA, 17 JAN: The Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) president, Mr Bimal Gurung, this evening threatened re-launching the Gorkhaland statehood agitation if the Centre and the state government fail to form the proposed Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) by 27 March.
“Mr Gurung made the announcement while addressing a public gathering at Jamuni in Darjeeling. He said, if the Centre and the state fail to form the GTA by the given deadline, the tripartite agreement signed with the GJMM in this regard will be deemed invalid and an all-out agitation for a separate Gorkhaland state would be re-started,” the party's central committee leader, Mr Binay Tamag, said over phone. The tripartite agreement for the formation of GTA ~ an autonomous administrative body to govern the Gorkha-dominated areas in Darjeeling district and the adjoining areas ~ was inked on 18 July 2011 in presence of the Union home minister Mr P Chidambaram and chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee. sns

Committee to monitor condition of tea workers

Committee to monitor condition of tea workers

17 January 2012

statesman news service
KOLKATA/SILIGURI, 17 JAN: Denying the recent starvation deaths at the closed tea estate, the state government has formed a committee for round-the-clock monitoring of the condition of workers of closed tea gardens.
The committee, comprising the district magistrate and officials of labour and north Bengal development departments, will visit the closed tea gardens regularly and supervise the health conditions of the workers. It will also inquire whether the workers are entitled to receive benefits under any Central scheme.
State labour minister Purnendu Basu said financial assistance would henceforth be provided to workers of locked-out tea gardens on a monthly basis, instead of after a gap of three to six months.
Countering the allegation of Revolutionist Socialist Party leaders on the deaths, Mr Basu said a thorough inquiry had been conducted into the matter. “The government has taken necessary measures for the welfare of the workers and a section of the politically-motivated people have been creating an unnecessary issue out of it,” he said.
The Jalpaiguri chief medical officer of health, Dr Swapan Sarkar, said: “The jobless tea workers are suffering from prolonged illnesses due to lack of proper food.” A report submitted by the district magistrate revealed that the deceased workers were suffering from psoriasis, prolonged diarrhoea and gastric ulcers. The Birpara block medical officer has set up an outdoor department for health check-ups of the poor labourers. It has taken up the initiative to collect their blood samples and diagnose diseases. 
The state labour department has planned to provide financial assistance to the families of three of the six Dheklapara Tea Estate workers, who have died of malnutrition and prolonged illness in Alipurduar in the past few months.
Meanwhile, the additional labour commissioner, Mr Pashupati Ghosh, said: “According to rules, a jobless tea worker is entitled to financial assistance up to 58 years. As such, three of the deceased six who died jobless were to receive Rs 1,500 every month. We are preparing a report so that their families receive their due."
Mr Ghosh said the workers of the tea estate, which was closed due to litigation over rights of possession of the plantation, are being deprived of provident fund and gratuity in the absence of proper management. The north Bengal development affairs minister, Mr Gautam Deb, held a meeting with the administrative officials yesterday to provide other assistance. He said he would take up the matter with higher authorities to resolve the litigation outside court.

Minister unaware of rhino census

11 January 2012
statesman news service
SILIGURI, 11 JAN: The state forest minister is still in the dark about
the fact that his department will initiate Rhino Census under Wildlife
Division-II in north Bengal.
Forest officials have already informed the officials
concerned,including animal lovers’ organisations, that the department
would start a census exercise of rhino at Garumara National Park from
March 2012.
The forest minister, Mr Hiten Barman, said: “I do not have any
information regarding rhino census in north Bengal. No body has
intimated me about the project. I would ask the departmental officials
about the census and accordingly arrangements would be made to conduct
the census.”
According to forest officials, the department had conducted rhino
census in Garumara National park in 2010 and after two years, a
routine census would be conducted to know the exact population of
rhino. In 2010 the total number of single horn rhinos was 36 in
Garumara.
A senior forest official said the rhino census was conducted in
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in 2011 and the next census would be
conducted in 2013. In 2011 the total number of single horn rhino at
Jaldapara was 155.
Mr Barman said he had a detailed census report on elephant population
in north Bengal. “But I need to get detail information about the
present number of rhinos,” he added.

Swamiji’s bust stolen before 150th birth anniversary

11 January 2012
statesman news service
MALDA/SILIGURI, 11 JAN: When the whole nation will pay reverence to
Swami Vivekananda tomorrow on his 150th birth anniversary,
disappearance of his marble bust from a park named after him has
generated sharp criticism from all walks of the society. However, the
railway authorities, who are assigned to maintain the statue and the
park, kept mum on the issue.
Local youths had planned to hold a programme tomorrow to commemorate
the National Youth Day at Vivekananda Park located at municipal ward
22 of English Bazaar Municipality (EBM). To their utter dismay, they
youths found that the statue of Swami Vivekananda was missing. Worse
still, cans and bottles of liquors were placed on the pedestal on
which the statue was lodged. The aggrieved youths rushed to the local
municipal councillors, Mrs Anju Tiwary and Mr Subhadip Sanya.
Lack of maintenance had turned Swami Vivekananda Park into a den of
criminals and goons, people said. “It is now the feasting ground for
the drunkards. The criminals have made it their den,” they alleged.
Notably, the former secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram of Malda,
Swami Divyanandaji, requested the railway authorities to take proper
care of the park.
“However, his pleas resulted in only temporary cleaning operations.
Soon the park was covered in bushes,” said Mr Subir Das Gupta, a
senior citizen. “Last year Swamiji’s birthday was an ordinary even
organised by the railway authorities,” Mr Das Gupta said, adding, it
was an insult to Vivekananda.
Mrs Tiwary, a Congress councillor said: “None has the right to insult
the noble soul of Swamiji. We will soon meet the railway officials and
demand a high-level probe into the matter.”
“If the railway authorities cannot maintain the park, they should
admit their failure and hand-over the park to the EBM authorities,”
she said.
Mr Sanyal, the leader of the Opposition in EBM and a senior CPI-M
leader, said if the railway authorities failed then the Democratic
Youth Federation of India (DYFI) would install a statue at their own
cost. Mr Sanyal also demanded the recovery of Swamiji’s statue
immediately.
Some children of the locality said the statue was taken away by three
persons  a few days ago. The railway authorities refused to comment on
the issue claiming that they were busy because of the Sahibganj
accident today.
The secretary of Ramakrishna Mission Ashram of Malda, Swami
Parashranandaji, refused to comment and said: “Swami Vivekananda is
not the property of Ramakrishna Math and Mission alone. He is an asset
for the nation. Hence, the railway authorities will speak about the
issue.”

MRI, CT scan facilities on anvil at Siliguri hospital

11 January 2012
SILIGURI, 11 JAN: The Siliguri district hospital authorities have set
aside space in the existing hospital premises for setting up MRI, CT
scan, digital X-ray and other facilities under a
private-public-partnership (PPP) model.
The state health department had earlier instructed the hospital
authorities to provide 1,100 sq feet space to set up the facilities.
The Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health-III, and
acting medical superintendent of Siliguri hospital, Dr Ashok Biswas,
said the hospital does not have adequate land for a new building.
Accordingly, after consultation with the chief medical officer of
health, Dr Subir Bhowmik, and Siliguri MLA Dr Rudranath Bhattacharya,
and departmental engineers concerned, a space had been selected on the
ground floor of the hospital, which had been lying unused for some
time. Sources said the floor, close to a maternity ward, was meant to
accommodate patients in case of an outbreak of susceptible or enteric
diseases. The Siliguri district hospital currently does not have CT
scan facilities. Relatives of serious patients are asked to get CT
scans done either at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital or
at other private health centres.
Chief minister Miss Mamata Banerjee during her visit to the hospital
on 18 September, had asked the hospital authorities to set up these
facilities in the district hospital. The acting medical
superintendent, Dr Biswas, said: “We will finalise the identified
space after consulting the officials concerned, including doctors and
other hospital staff.” sns

KPP to re-launch stir for state of Kamtapur

11 January 2012
statesman news service
SILIGURI, 11 JAN: The Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP) is to re-launch
its agitation for a separate state of Kamtapur comprising six north
Bengal districts. The party plans to organise meetings and rallies
across north Bengal to oppose the Gorkha Jana Mukti Morcha’s claim
over lands in certain “moujas” in the Terai-Dooars region in reference
to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. The party will hold a
rally at Baghajatin Park in Siliguri on 16 January to mark the
re-launch.
“The separate state of Kamtapur is our legitimate demand and under no
circumstances will we budge from our stance. We will fight for it to
the last. At the same time, we will oppose tooth and nail the GJMM
land clamour involving the Terai-Dooars. The Hill-based party has no
right to claim these areas, either historically or demographically,”
said the KPP president, Mr Atul Roy.
Imparting a warning to the Centre and the state governments, Mr Roy
said that the Centre and the state’s rigid stance on the matter might
land the multi-ethnic region in a political conflagration.
Alleging double standards on both the Centre and the state
government’s part regarding the Gorkhaland and Kamtapur, the KPP
president said that they would not remain silent  if the governmental
antipathy on the matter continued. “Both the Centre and the state
government have been pampering the Gorkhaland protagonists while
suppressing ethnic aspirations of the indigenous Rajbanshi community,”
he said.
“We want constitutional recognition of the Kamtapuri language and
fulfillment of other ethno-cultural demands. The Left Front government
kept sitting tight on our collective demands. The present government
is doing the same. The situation might turn volatile again if the
attitude does not change,” he warned.
The assistant general secretary of the KPP central committee, Mr
Anarul Seikh, said that they had already raised objection to the GJMM
claim on lands in the Teari-Dooars region in their submission to the
Shymal Sen Committee.
“We have also served a memorandum to the chief minister and the north
Bengal development minister reiterating our stance on the matter,” he
said.

Panchayat staff to observe pen-down strike in Kalimpong sub-division

statesman news service
SILIGURI/ KALIMPONG, 11 JAN: Employees at panchayat offices in
Kalimpong sub-division will start an indefinite pen-down strike
tomorrow to protest the manhandling of their colleagues by residents
of Pitamchin village.
The panchayat employee was attacked at Pitamchin village under Lingay
gram panchayat which falls under the jurisdiction of Algarah block-ll
in Kalimpong sub-division.
The villagers were protesting against alleged double standards being
practiced by the officials while dealing with victims of the 18
September 2011 earthquake. The protesters turned violent and severely
beat gram panchayat staff member Sonam Tashi Bhutia, according to a
spokesperson of the Ganamukti Karmachari Sangathan, which has convened
the strike, alleged.
Mr Bhutia was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries. He is
under treatment now. Local GJMM leaders and gram panchayat officials
intervened when the situation was spiralling out of control.
The villagers said they were unhappy with the administration on
several counts. “First the relief came very late. Secondly, several
affluent and influential persons are on the beneficiary-list though
they had sustained no loss due to the trembler. This aside,
discrimination is being made among the quake victims during
distribution of compensation,” one of the agitated villagers said.
However, senior gram panchayat officials said the villagers had no
knowledge of the parameters involved in the distribution of the
calamity-compensation.
“It must be understood that the compensation yardsticks are different
in regards to the houses that were fully damaged and partially
damaged. For the former, the amount is Rs 35,000, while for the
latter, the figure is Rs 5,000. This is what has led to the confusion
among the villagers. We will take up programmes soon to educate the
villagers regarding the different yardsticks in reference to the
compensation grants,” one of the senior gram panchayat officials said.
The Darjeeling district magistrate Saumitra Mohan, said that the
administration had no liberty to get out of the compensation-norms as
determined by the Centre.
“There are clear distinctions in regards to houses damaged partially
and fully. The Centre has also mentioned that owners of ‘kaccha’*
houses would be given Rs 10,000 for complete damage and only Rs 2,500
for partial damage,” the Darjeeling district magistrate added.
“The Centre has also asked the victims to open bank accounts for
receiving compensation. After the account is opened the administration
will transfer money to the respective accounts in accordance with the
list of victims,” he added.
He added that around 8,000 houses had been fully damaged and nearly
32,000 houses had been partially damaged.
“We had demanded nearly Rs 42 crore for the purpose. We have received
Rs 20 crore from both the Centre and state so far. The next
installment would be released on receipt of the utilisation
certificates,” he added.

Rage-n-rampage hit varsities

statesman news service 
KOLKATA/SILIGURI, 5 JAN: Tension gripped two educational institutes today. The Vice-Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University was gheraoed by the students for hours together. It was  alleged that a professor of the university misbehaved with a girl. The students gheraoed V-C, Prof Karunasindhu Das, demanding punishment of the accused. A complaint was lodged and the students withdrew their protest in the afternoon.
In the second incident, the principal of Raiganj University College, Mr Dilip De Sarkar, was assaulted and allegedly dragged out of his chamber by a group of Trinamul leaders and supporters of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad. A teacher, Mr Subrata Saha, was injured when he tried to save the principal. Several Trinamul Chhatra Parishad members went on the rampage on the campus. The principal was roughed up when a group of TMCP members allegedly beat him up with wickets on the college ground. The TMCP workers also ransacked the principal's chamber and classrooms  allegedly under the leadership of a senior Trinamul leader, Mr Tilak Choudhury. It is learnt that police remained a mute spectator when the principal was attacked. Mr De Sarkar, the principal, was admitted to a private nursing home. College teachers sporting black badges organised a protest rally today. 
Trouble broke out yesterday when TMCP workers went to collect nomination forms to contest the students’ union elections. The TMCP leaders alleged that Chhatra Parishad supporters beat them up and prevented them from collecting nomination papers. A Trinamul leader, Mr Tapan Nag, who is also a non-teaching staff of the college, was injured in the scuffle between CP and TMCP supporters although the college authorities had made arrangements to issue nominations papers for all of them. The students’ union election was scheduled to be held at Raiganj University College on 16 January. The students’ union is under the control of the Chhatra Parishad since long. The CP members had won the students’ union at Raiganj College unopposed for the past few years.
The Raiganj college campus turned into a virtual battlefield when more than a thousand TMCP supporters, under the leadership of Trinamul Congress leader, Mr Tilak Choudhury, demanded that the college authorities lodge a complaint with police against the culprits who attacked Mr Nag. They demanded the college authorities to postpone the election.
The TMCP workers attacked the principal when he did not respond to their demand. TMCP supporters damaged window panes and furniture at his chamber. They attacked the principal again when he came out of his chamber to hold a meeting with teachers. A teacher associated with the department of Economics, Mr Subrata Saha, was injured, when he came to the rescue of the principal.
Mr De Sarkar said: “It is the darkest day in my teaching career.” He blamed the Trinamul Congress and said: “Students, including outsiders led by Trinamul leader, Mr Tilak Choudhury, attacked me.”
Denying charges Mr Choudhury said: “For years the college authorities are not holding election for the students’ union. The Chhatra Parishad won the students' union unopposed. This time we decided to contest the election. But the CP leaders prevented me from submitting nominations. Even they tore nomination papers.” The north Bengal development minister, Mr Gautam Deb, said: “Our supporters were attacked first. Outsiders waving our flag attacked the principal to malign the image of our party. TMCP workers were not involved in the attack on the principal.” Mr Deb later described the incident as unfortunate. The state education minister Mr Bratya Basu said: “Those who manhandled the principal do not seem to be students. It was alleged against the principal that he was highly influenced by the Left. Still what happened cannot be pardoned.”
The Leader of Opposition, Dr Surya Kanta Mishra, said: “Some people were seen carrying Trinamul Congress flags, rampaging inside the college and manhandling the principal. We are sure, everyone involved were not students. How could outsiders and hooligans do this in the presence of the police? This shows the sorry state of law and order situation of the state.”
Minister of state for sports and senior Trinamul leader, Mr Madan Mitra, said: “I condemn the incident. An inquiry has been initiated. It was pre-planned and done to malign Trinamul.” Urban development minister Mr Firad Hakim said the SP has been instructed to arrest the persons involved in the incident. Mr Amitava Chakraborty, PCC general secretray, said: “The incidents of Jadavpur Vidhyapit and Raigunj College are examples of the Trinamul Congress' values.  First let them control their own men and then criticise us.”