Author: Uttam Dutta
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: August 7, 2003
URL: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1030807/asp/bengal/story_2241676.asp
The principal of Arambagh Girls
College, suspended on charges of defalcation of funds and dereliction of
duty, has taken the fight to the district CPM, complaining that he was
being victimised for not toeing the party line and giving in to the whims
of the SFI.
The college governing body of 12
members, including CPM parliamentarian Anil Basu, suspended Bani Prasad
Sen on July 31 without giving him a chance to defend himself. The move
sparked a clash between the SUCI, backing Sen, and the SFI, supporting
the suspension, throwing the admission procedure out of gear.
"The governing body of my college
called an emergency meeting on July 31 and issued the suspension notice
on the same day. This is strange because under normal circumstances, a
person is first showcaused," Sen said.
The local CPM and its student wing,
the SFI, had a long-standing grouse against him and he was being victimised
for not being a supporter, Sen said. "I do not visit the party office,
which is why I have been punished."
The principal said the trigger for
the action against him was his refusal to accept an SFI proposal that a
statue of Bijoy Modak, former CPM MP from Arambagh, who helped set up the
college in 1995, be put up. "I refused, because it is more logical to set
up the statue of the founder, Balai Krishna Roy," Sen added.
The principal said the charges levelled
against him were false and the audit was proof of it. He has been charged
with dereliction of duty for not creating new posts and failing to introduce
honours courses in the college. "I do not have such powers. It is under
the jurisdiction of Burdwan University," Sen claimed.
He recalled that sub-divisional
officer Ashraf Ali Mullick and municipality chairman Gopal Kach were present
at the governing body meeting though they are not part of it.
A one-member inquiry committee with
Ashim Dey, CPM councillor and principal of Arambag Netaji Mahavidyalay,
has been formed to investigate the charges against Sen.
When contacted in New Delhi, Anil
Basu said: "Sen was told to submit necessary documents to the University
Grants Commission to receive grants for the college, but he failed to do
so. There are also charges of defalcation of funds. He has even forged
my signature in the college audit, and all his allegations against the
CPM are baseless."
The SFI has decided to go ahead
with installing Modak's statue on the college foundation day on August
31.
