A spat between an MLA and an MP of the ruling Trinamool Congress has surfaced over the setting up of a smart classroom at a nearly century-old girls’ high school in Hooghly’s Chinsurah.
According to sources, the rift between Chinsurah MLA Asit Majumdar and Hooghly MP Rachna Banerjee, also an actor and television personality, came to light on Thursday, when the latter visited Chinsurah Balika Bani Mandir to inspect the new smart classroom, funded through her MP local area development (MPLAD) fund.
The school’s headmistress, Dhriti Bandyapadhyay, in the presence of other teachers, informed MP Banerjee that on July 24, MLA Majumdar had visited the school and humiliated her using “foul language”, asking her to stop the smart classroom job since it was apparently being done without his knowledge.
“I told him I can’t stop the ongoing work. If he (the MLA) wanted to do so, he should bring a resolution before the school’s managing committee. Then, the MLA asked me where were the identity documents of workers who were inside the school,” the headmistress told the MP.
“It was deeply humiliating to be treated like this — and that too in such language — in a school that is nearly a hundred years old. Most of the teachers here, including me, are school alumnae. The entire incident hurt us deeply,” Bandyapadhyay added.
An assistant teacher said the MLA had even called up police and asked for two officers to be sent to oversee the job, but no one showed up.
MP Banerjee immediately condemned the MLA’s behaviour.
“This is extremely unfortunate. The MLA tried to obstruct a good initiative meant to enhance the quality of students’ education. He clearly has no love for the school and no respect for women. He never contributed anything, and now that I’ve started something as an MP, he’s trying to disrupt it,” she told the teachers.
A teacher of the school added that while many Bengali-medium schools in the district were witnessing a decline in student numbers, Chinsurah Balika Bani Mandir currently has 1,380 students.
“This has been possible only due to the tireless efforts of 29 teachers who have been striving to maintain educational standards for years. Any disturbance in the school affects its legacy, as well as the efforts of teachers and students,” the teacher added.
Banerjee was visibly upset and later told reporters that she was shocked and speechless after hearing the teachers’ account of the incident.
“I was surprised to learn that the local Trinamool MLA had visited the school and verbally abused the teachers using obscene language, questioning why a smart classroom was being set up and who had given permission for it. These teachers deserve respect. If he had questions, he could have spoken to the headmistress privately. Instead, he created a scene while classes were in session,” Banerjee said.
“I want to make it clear: I will set up more smart classrooms and carry out more development work. Let’s see who has the guts to stop it,” the MP added.
The school’s alumnae expressed their concerns over the controversy involving two top public representatives of the area.
“It is extremely unfortunate that my school, known as one of the best institutions in Chinsurah, is embroiled in such a controversy — especially over an educational project. If needed, the alumnae association will stand by the school authorities and extend all possible support regarding the smart classroom or any academic matter,” said Sandipa Banerjee, a cultural activist and also a classmate of headmistress Bandyapadhyay.
Majumdar on Friday defended his line of questioning, claiming his concern was for the safety of the girls, as male workers were present during school hours.
However, he denied having humiliated or abused any teacher or the headmistress.
“I’m a member of the school’s managing committee. I received a complaint from the headmaster of the primary section (which is run on the same premises), stating that four outsiders were on the school premises and had been allotted a room. Several guardians also conveyed their concerns to me (about the safety of their daughters),” the MLA said.
“I questioned the headmistress how the smart classroom work involving outsiders was allowed without committee approval. The managing committee president, who was with me, was also unaware of the work,” Majumdar said.
He said that he had several other grievances about the school, but did not elaborate.
The president of the managing committee, Gouri Kanta Mukherjee, resigned from his post following the controversy. However, he supported MLA Majumdar’s position.