ABVP demands interference of Education Minister to end impasse at Cachar College, gives him memorandum

way2barak, Sept.28: Silchar Unit of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Wednesday afternoon held a protest demonstration in front of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar in support of their 6-point charter of demands. Students from various colleges of Silchar took part in this demonstration led by ABVP.

Infact, Education Minister, Dr Ranoj Pegu who is on a 3-day tour of Barak Valley was supposed to attend a meeting on Forest Right Act at the conference hall of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar, when the karyakartas of ABVP sat for a demonstration there. They raised slogans in support of their demands. Later on, a delegation of ABVP led by Dipankar Das, Rohit Chanda and some others went inside the office of the Deputy Commissioner, where the Education Minister came out of the conference hall along with MLA Udharbond Mihir Kanti Shome and MLA Patharkandi Krishnendu Paul and accepted the memorandum. Leaders of ABVP read out the memorandum before handing it over to the Education Minister.

The prime issues raised by ABVP in their memorandum included continuation of primary education in respective mother tongue. They stated that even the NEP 2020 upholded the importance of imparting education at the primary level in mother tongue. Infact, around a month ago, ABVP gave a memorandum wherein they raised the demand of continuation of vernacular medium of instruction at primary school throughout Assam. In today’s memorandum to the Education Minister, they just reiterated this demand.

The next issue highlighted by ABVP was blatant violation of rules and regulations by the Examination branch of Assam University, Silchar. They directly alleged that the University has failed in its responsibility of conducting TDC Examinations smoothly. ABVP wrote, “The University during the ongoing TDC Even Semester Examination exhibited a callous attitude by not printing question paper of Bengali 4th semester (Commerce). The students were informed this when they were inside the examination hall and waiting for the question paper. This is not a new phenomenon and such kind of irresponsible acts are done by the concerned Exam branch of the university during the previous exams also.” ABVP demanded a proper enquiry into the matter and fix responsibility for such serious lapse.

ABVP also raised one of the most burning issues regarding the present impasse at Cachar College. They wrote to the Education Minister seeking his immediate intervention into the matter so that normalcy returns back at Cachar College and proper academic atmosphere is restored. They wrote, “Sir, you are definitely aware of the present situation of turmoil going on in Cachar College, where the unpleasant incidents have earned bad fame for the institution. We earnestly request you to take the matter very seriously so that the college may retain back its pristine glory and glamour.”

Vidyarthi Parishad also put on record in their memorandum as to “the matter of blatant violation of UGC guidelines in the conduct of examination and UG classes in the affiliated colleges under Assam University. In every semester, classes takes place hardly for 2 months. The students are made to sit for their examinations even without completing the syllabus. This has really jeopardized the career of the students. We strongly demand that classes and examinations in the colleges affiliated to Assam University are conducted as per UGC Guidelines.”

ABVP also raised the demand of opening Geography departments in the colleges under Assam University. Geography being an important subject ought to be taught at UG level in the affiliated colleges. However, surprisingly, this department is non-existent over here. As such, they demanded that the Department of Geology should be started in all the colleges which are affiliated to Assam University.

The last demand in their memorandum submitted to the Education Minister was to start Anthropology at the Silchar campus of Assam University. It’s indeed a strange matter that when Anthropology is taught at some UG Colleges affiliated to Assam University, whereas the subject does not exist at the University level. At Diphu campus of Assam University, Anthropology is taught at the PG level, but the students of Barak Valley find it very difficult to go and study at Diphu. As such, they demanded that Anthropology department at PG level should be started at the Silchar campus of Assam University.

Later on, while speaking with the media, ABVP leaders Dipankar Das and Rohit Chanda said, “We have handed over a memorandum containing these important points to the Education Minister today. The Minister listened carefully to the demands raised by us and gave us positive assurance that he would definitely address the issues raised by us. We further informed that Minister that these issues are of immense importance for the student community of the valley and if the demands are not fulfilled then ABVP will be bound to resort to democratic protest movement.”

Meanwhile, the protest demonstration launched by ACTA Unit of Cachar College against the Principal, Siddhartha Sankar Nath has entered the 6th day. The agitation further intensified as teachers from various colleges of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi were seen to come at the protest venue and sit along with the teachers of Cachar College, thereby expressing their solidarity. Various organisations like Barak Upottaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskritik Sammelan, Youth Against Social Evils (YASE), Bangla Sahitya Sabha, Asom, All Assam Bengali Hindu Association (AABHA) and others have come in full support with the teachers of Cachar College.

ACTA stated that “The brazenly illegal, dictatorial and whimsical activities of the present Principal has earned a bad reputation of this temple of education. To save the college from further decay, its high time that the Principal should either go back from where he has come on lien or be removed by the government from the chair.”