PU Mentor Group demands inquiry
Extending full support to Presidency University vice-chancellor Malabika Sarkar, the Presidency Mentor Group on Monday demanded a thorough and impartial inquiry into last Wednesday’s violence and vandalism at the prestigious institution.
In a message, issued on the occasion of the Bengali New Year, the Mentor Group voiced its dismay over the attack on the Presidency campus by outsiders which it described as an “appalling incident.” There were some murmurs over the silence of the Mentor Group on the incident.
However, on Monday, the statement made it clear that the chairperson Sugata Bose who had been in constant touch with the vice-chancellor had received regular updates from her.
In what will come as a shot in the arms of Ms Sarkar, the Mentor Group lauded her for handling the “most aggravating situation” with “wisdom, courage and dignity.”
After the attack, Ms Sarkar and the registrar Prabir Dasgupta had repeatedly said that Trinamul Congress workers holding party flags had invaded the campus, beat up the students, chased the girls hurling obscenities on them and damaged the university properties. They had also charged the police of total inaction.
Their courageous stand was resented by the Mamata Banerjee government.
At least three senior ministers Partha Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee and Bratya Basu had voiced their displeasure over Ms Sarkar and Mr Dasgupta’s statements.
On Monday, Mr Bose made it clear that Ms Sarkar enjoyed full support of the Mentor Group.
The Mentor Group’s demand for thorough and impartial investigation and swift punishment for the culprits is also signficant. Although five small-time Trinamul Congress supporters have been arrested, two important leaders councillor Partha Basu and Trinamul Chhatra Parishad general secretary Tamaghna Ghose—against whom FIR had been filed were still free.
The Mentor Group also praised chief minister Mamata Banerjee for voicing her determination to support and protest Presidency which she described as her “dream project” in her telephonic conversation to the vice-chancellor.
In a significant message, the statement said that the efforts of the Mentor Group to rejuvenate “the iconic institution as a world-class centre of excellence have always transcended party political divisions.”
The Mentor Group also pointed out that although it recognised the need for adequate security and in and around the campus, it did not support the idea that the gates of the Presidency University should be kept locked to avert any sort of trouble.
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