May 21: Academic activities in Burdwan University’s Bengali department have been hit following the resignation of five senior teachers from key panels to protest the authorities’ decision to bring back a Trinamul loyalist group D staff transferred weeks ago.

The head of the department, the co-ordinator and deputy co-ordinator of the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) in Bengali, a member of the board of studies of Bengali and the professor in charge of the evening section of the MA course have resigned from their posts in the past five days.

While the CAS looks after research work, the board of studies decides the syllabus and exam-related issues.

None of the Bengali teachers agreed to become head of the department when the authorities made the request. The teachers said none would take up the post till Nishikanta Nandi was sent back to the central library of the varsity.

“The authorities are making an exception for Nandi even though he was transferred during a routine shuffle. He was brought back because he is a Trinamul supporter. We cannot accept this move,” a teacher said.

Arun Ghosh, who resigned as the co-ordinator of the CAS today, said: “We will not allow Nandi to work in the Bengali department.”

The teachers alleged that Nandi had insulted them and refused to obey their orders. They said Nandi was a member of the CPM-affiliated Burdwan Viswavidyalaya Karmachari Union but shifted allegiance to Trinamul after the Assembly elections. He is now a member of the Trinamul-backed Burdwan Viswavidyalaya Karmachari Samiti.

“Sometimes, he takes away the keys to the cupboard where chalks and dusters are kept and refuses to give them to us,” another teacher said.

The teachers said they had lodged several complaints with the authorities against Nandi. “But no action was taken,” the teacher said.

Nandi expressed surprise at the way “senior professors are targeting me”. “I can’t understand how a peon like me can be the target of attack by senior professors.”

Rabiranjan Chatterjee, the technical education minister and local Trinamul MLA, denied the party’s involvement in the matter. “I have not received any complaint from the university. It is an internal matter of the varsity,” he said.

VC Shoroshimohan Dawn said there was no disruption in academic activities.