CPM-backed body disallows principal from joining school

Shiv Sahay Singh Posted: Mar 31, 2008 at 0127 hrs
Kolkata, March 30 In open defiance of the School Service Commission and disregarding a Calcutta High Court order, the CPM-backed managing committee of a school in Midnapore East is not allowing Bansari Manna to join the school as the headmistress after her appointment in July 2007.

The school, Bhupatinagar Kanya Vidyalaya, is located in Midnapore East’s Block Bhagwanpur II. Manna is yet to receive her appointment letter. According to her, the secretary of the school managing committee, Badal Krishna Maity, is behind the trouble. “Maity, who is also the secretary of Mugberia CPM local committee is interfering with my joining the school,” she said.

The Calcutta High Court, in its March 7 verdict had directed the secretary of the managing committee of Bhupatinagar Kanya Vidyalaya to issue an appointment letter to Manna within 10 days. But the defiant secretary still insisted that the candidature of Manna is not correct. “We want a physics teacher as the headmaster. We have the support of the guardians,” said Maity. He added that he and other officials had written to the School Service Commission (SSC) to appoint a candidate with a physics background for the post.

Manna, who was previously the headmistress of Dakshin Patherberia Anandmoyee Balika Vidyalaya was appointed as the headmistress of Bhupatinagar Kanya Vidyalaya by SSC.

SSC Chairman Ranajit Basu said: “If the commission has appointed a headmaster, the school is bound to accept the decision.” The commission also threatened to stop the salaries of the teachers of the concerned school, if Manna was not allowed to join.

Mugberia CPM Zonal Committee Secretary Bishnu Pada Manna refused to comment on this issue.