A CORRESPONDENT
SILCHAR: Tussle between the principal and the teachers took a sharp turn as the Director of Higher Education Dharmakanta Mili visited Cachar College on Tuesday to investigate the alleged irregularities by the college authorities during the examination for the 3rd and 4th grade posts of various government department on August 21. Siddhartha Shankar Nath, principal of the premiere institution was arrested by Silchar police on the basis of an FIR lodged by none other than the Deputy Commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha as he alleged that the former had violated the SOP framed by the government for conducting the examination. Jha had submitted a report to the government and in reference to it, Secretary to the Education department had instructed DHE to initiate an enquiry. Mili on Tuesday quizzed Nath at the latter's chamber for at least half an hour. Later the DHE talked to Jha and other district administration officials engaged in the recently held examination. Before leaving for Guwahati, Mili while speaking to media said that he would now submit the report to the government. He however distanced himself from making comments on his findings.
Interestingly though the Education Secretary had instructed the DHE to cause an inquiry on the report submitted by the Deputy Commissioner on the incident that took place in Cachar College on August 21, Mili held a meeting with the teachers of the college who had a plethora of allegations against the principal including illegal appointment of the latter's cousin in the college, regular misbehaving with selected teachers, financial irregularities, utter misuse of power and more.
Sources said, a group of agitating teachers spelt out their allegations to the DHE in presence of the principal. However they reportedly avoided the incident of alleged physical assault of a senior colleague by the Deputy Commissioner on August 21 itself when the former reached the strong room for collecting the question papers after the scheduled time. Swadesh Ranjan Das, head of the Philosophy department was reportedly slapped and forced to kneel down by the Deputy Commissioner who had denied the allegation.
Das, though did not file any FIR or formal complaint with any competent authority, did intimate the college unit of ACTA and the College Principal Council, but on Tuesday the incident was not raised in front of the DHE by the college teachers. Das, who himself was present had reportedly preferred to remain silent. However a source said, Das in one to one conversation with the DHE did admit that Jha had physically assaulted him, and though aggrieved, he would not wish to let the issue be stretched further.
Interestingly central committee of ACTA had squarely blamed principal Nath for the entire episode that took place on August 21. ACTA had earlier made complaints against Nath to the DHE alleging that the principal had been violating both the prescribed rules as well as decorum in case of dealing with the teaching fraternity.
Mili's visit to Cachar College on Tuesday had another element of dramatic twist as Ananda Ghose, a teacher of the college who was barred from entering into the campus by the principal, appeared in the college to submit a memorandum to Mili. Ghose later told the mediapersons that he wanted to know by which clause of Indian Penal Code the principal had restricted his entry into the college which, however, disbursing his salary in every month though he was barred from attending classes. Ghose, who was in charge of K K Handique Open University faced allegations of financial irregularities.
On Wednesday, Ghose was again barred from entering in to the college. As a mark of protest, he sat down in front of the gate. However after being assured by Shashanka Shehar Dhar, president of the governing body of the college that he would look after the issue, Ghose left the college premise.
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