The Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) on Thursday suspended two student union leaders in Deshbandhu College for Girls for allegedly heckling and pushing Calcutta University vice-chancellor Sugata Marjit at a Behala college last Tuesday.
Wahida Khatoon and Tinku Das, general secretary and assistant general secretary of the TMCP-controlled union in the Rashbehari Avenue college, have been suspended from the organisation for two years.
"Wahida Khatoon and Tinku Das have been suspended in connection with Tuesday's incident. Their membership will remain suspended for two years. A show-cause notice will be issued to them soon," state TMCP president Ashoke Rudra said on Thursday.
The prompt action by the TMCP stands in contrast to the indifference shown by ruling party leaders to earlier assaults on teachers and principals by Trinamul activists.
Calcutta University teachers have attributed the promptness to the ongoing Assembly elections.
"The Assembly elections are on. TV footage showing the two TMCP leaders pushing the vice-chancellor has tarnished the image of the ruling party. By suspending the two students, Trinamul has tried to control the damage and avoid further controversy during the elections," a CU professor said.
Trinamul Congress sources say Wahida is an active worker of the party. The website of Deshbandhu College for Girls has a picture of Wahida with education minister Partha Chatterjee.
About 100 students had gathered around Marjit while he was leaving Vivekananda College for Women after attending a programme on Tuesday.
The protesters were demanding that the Part II students of the college who lacked the required attendance and failed in the selection test be allowed to take the final exams.
When Marjit tried to explain to them why their demand could not be met, the students yelled at him.
CCTV camera footage showed two women resembling Wahida and Tinku pushing the VC.
The agitators did not allow Marjit to board his car. Principal Soma Bhattacharya and some other teachers and employees of the college had to escort him out of the campus and to another vehicle, in which he left the spot.
Marjit later said the demonstration was "politically motivated".
