Controversy over show-cause notice to schools, TMC denies charges
The Statesman | 26 August 2024
Show-cause notices were issued by the education department to three schools in Howrah for protesting on the R G Kar issue.
The headmasters of Balu Hati High School, Balu Hati Girls’ High School, and Bantra Rajlakshmi Balika Vidyalaya in Howrah have been issued letters stating that if they do not provide an explanation for their actions within 24 hours, disciplinary action will be taken. Trinamul Congress claimed the Opposition is organising slander campaigns with this show-cause notices.
The civil society has been agitating over the death of a young doctor from R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Shortly after these marches, three schools in Howrah received notices from the Howrah district school inspector. Notices were sent to the headmasters of Balu Hati High School, Balu Hati Girls’ High School and Bantra Rajlakshmi Balika Vidyalaya, irking the locals and guardians. The notice questioned why teachers and students participated in the protest march during school hours last Friday. It also alleged that some students were intimidated into participating in the march, thus violating children’s rights. The schools were given 24 hours to explain their actions, with a warning that failure to respond would result in strict action by the district school inspector. The controversy began in the Paschim Medinipur district.
On Thursday, the district inspector of schools there issued an order stating that students are not allowed to participate in any event outside of school premises unless it is organized by the school education department. On Friday, the School Education Commissioner issued a notification, reminding that “corporal punishment” is prohibited on school campuses and stating that neither teaching nor non-teaching staff may physically or mentally abuse students. The notification also specified that students must not be involved in any political activities.
Kunal Ghosh of Trinamul Congress has dismissed the entire issue as “slander and misinformation.” He also provided an explanation from the party regarding the show-cause notices.
The Trinamul Congress believes that a “frenzy” is being created around the entire issue. The ruling party also suspects that the CPM’s teacher organizations, ABTA and ABPTA, are playing a role behind this. On Saturday, Kunal Ghosh said, “We have investigated the matter in detail. It appears that certain political forces at the local level are compelling schoolchildren to join protest marches. In some cases, teachers are also politically biased, leading the children to participate. The education department has aimed to prevent this.”
The Trinamul Congress further clarified that the education department has never said that students cannot participate in protests. The instruction was that it should not happen during school hours. Complaints had been received that this was occurring in some places, which is why the education department issued show-cause notices. Kunal also made it clear, “If anyone protests or marches before or after school hours, no one has any objection to that.”
Chief Secretary B P Gopalika specifically warned district magistrates that students are being used in various programmes, including road blockades and this will not be tolerated.
In response to the R G Kar incident, various forms of protests have begun. Now, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) wants to add an epic element to these protests. Monday marks Janmashtami, the day of Lord Krishna’s birth, and also the VHP’s founding anniversary. To mark this occasion, the VHP has planned several programmes across the country. However, given the “atmosphere of protest” in West Bengal, the VHP intends to replace their usual organizational campaigns with a different kind of march. On that day, they plan to hold marches across the state, featuring school children dressed as Krishna, demanding “justice.” Preparations have already begun statewide for this event.