ABVP conducts 'purification' after Muslim vice-principal's forced resignation in Kolkata

ABVP students held the Muslim vice-principal captive in her office for nearly 23 hours.

Since the formation of the BJP government in West Bengal, there has been a continuous increase in the number of incidents of oppression against the Muslim and Christian communities over the past few months. In August, there were attacks on churches, vandalism occurred, and due to fear, prayer meetings had to be halted. Now, reports are coming in that members of Bajrang Dal and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) intimidate Muslim teachers and physically assault them in educational campuses. The latest incident involves the forced resignation of a vice-principal.

The Wire reported that vice-principal Mohammadi Tarannum alleged that,

ABVP students had confined her in her own office for about 23 hours. The ABVP students forced her to sign a resignation letter. Tarannum has been teaching for the past 25 years. She has been serving as vice-principal and teacher in charge at Kolkata's Surendranath College since September 2007. On September 11, she signed a resignation letter. Tarannum alleges that prior to this, the students prepared the resignation letter themselves and pressured her to sign it.

After exiting the college under police protection, a group of students led by ABVP entered her office.

The students lit incense sticks and sprinkled Ganga water. They claimed they were 'purifying' the office. Following this, the students put up posters demanding Tarannum's resignation, even though she had already been forced to sign the resignation letter.

Tarannum told The Wire,

The students abused me so much and made such obscene comments regarding caste, religion, and politics that I was ill for two days. They humiliated me, mocked me, and said many objectionable things. After such mental torture, I have decided that I will not resign until they kill me.

However, fourth-year student Rajat Agar has denied these allegations. He said, “The vice-principal's claims are false. No pressure was applied on her.” The entire dispute is related to student attendance. Law students need at least 65 percent attendance to sit for the semester exams, but many students' attendance was below the required limit. The eighth-semester exams are scheduled to begin on September 29. Tarannum had clearly told the students that attendance-related rules would be enforced.

Tarannum stated,

A group is preventing students from attending classes while simultaneously making various demands. I am a government employee and am working according to government rules.

This college, established in 1884, is named after Indian National Congress leader Surendranath Banerjee. Former President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia are among its alumni. Currently, the president of the college's governing body is BJP MLA Kaustav Bagchi.

There is no officially declared unit of ABVP at Surendranath College. Nevertheless, only this organization's flag is displayed within the college premises. ABVP leader Sambit Das stated, “We do not want to see her face. We want her resignation, and we stand firm on our demand.”

Tarannum said that,

They know who was behind this planned attack, but she will not name anyone and will not file a complaint with the police. She said, “They are like my own children.”

Immediately after leaving the college under police protection, Tarannum emailed the West Bengal government stating that she had signed the resignation letter under pressure. On September 12, she publicly announced her decision to withdraw her resignation. However, the officials who received the resignation have not yet clarified their stance. The governing body chaired by BJP MLA Kaustav Bagchi has also not declared the resignation invalid. The higher education department has also not clarified the situation. Even a week after the incident, it has not been officially determined whether Tarannum remains in her position as vice-principal at the college.

Kaustav Bagchi stated, “Efforts are being made to ensure that all students can sit for the exams. Students have made several complaints against that professor. I have forwarded these matters to the higher education department. I hope a healthy environment will return to the college now.”

Surendranath College operates day and evening classes in the same building. Students claim that almost all rooms in the college are controlled by the politically influential evening shift. There are 916 students in the college's law department, but it does not have a separate office. Second-year student Anurag Roy said, “Classes do not happen in the college because teachers do not come. Students coming from far-off places have to return without attending classes. Naturally, the tendency to come to college is decreasing.”

Nilay Kumar Saha, secretary of the West Bengal College and University Teachers' Association, described the situation as concerning. He stated that after the COVID pandemic, there has been a trend among students who enrolled in college to work for earnings instead of attending classes. Additionally, the previous government did not intervene in this issue of absenteeism.

Classes are now being held on Sundays to bring student attendance up to 65 percent before September 29. Notably, these classes are being arranged by Tarannum in collaboration with Calcutta University. Tarannum said, “I do not want students to suffer in any way.”