Serious allegations raised against the principal of Lakhimpur Commerce College

A CORRESPONDENT

Lakhimpur: The Lakhimpur Commerce College unit of Assam College Teachers’ Association (ACTA) has raised serious allegations against the principal of the college. The organization raised those allegations vide its resolutions of the general meeting held on May 31 in the college by taking strong exception to certain acts and moves by Dr. BS Behera, Principal-in-charge of the college. Through a press release sent to the media, the organization stated that the meeting had condemned and opposed those actions by the principal-in-charge of the college.

As per the press release countersigned by Gopal Kumar Chetry and Bohnishikha Bordoloi, the president and secretary of the ACTA unit of the college respectively, Dr. BS Behera went on leave from May 19 to his home State Odisha and handed over the charge of principal to Dr. Kamal Baruah, an Assistant Professor, on and from the same day by superseding 20 senior teachers. The ACTA unit of the college considered it as an insult to the teaching staff of the college to have Dr. Kamal Baruah as principal-in-charge whose service is being counted since 2013.

Further, the Principal-in-charge of the college has not convened the meeting of the governing body of the college to send proposal for the extension of his position as DDO after the expiry of the same in April of the running year. The delay in obtaining the DDO, which was also delayed by Dr. Behera on earlier occasions, has caused lot of financial problems to the teaching and non-teaching staff of the college. As festivals like Eid-ul-Fitr is nearing and admissions of children of many teaching and non-teaching staff are on the course, the delay in extension of DDO is again depriving the teaching and non-teaching staff from their salary due for the month of May of this year. In this regard, the ACTA unit of the college has resolved to demand a new DDO for the college and also the appointment of a new and permanent principal to the college.

The principal in-charge of the college has also been alleged of misbehaving with the teaching and non-teaching staff on regular basis. The press release stated that the principal in-charge has been hurling abuses on caste and communal lines to teaching and non-teaching staff of the college. He is also allegedly harsh on women teachers and employees who feel insecure under his leadership. The ACTA unit of the college in this regard has resolved to demand a high-level enquiry by an impartial person against these allegations on Dr. BS Behera.

The principal in-charge has been forcefully engaging the office staff to overstay after the office hours daily. Many of the office staff is kept by him against their will till 8 pm to 9 pm. The press release further stated that Dr. BS Behera had not advertised the vacancy of two Assistant Professor positions in the Department of Business Management despite the permission granted by DHE, Government of Assam in July 2017. He has also not conducted the interview for a Grade III position in the non-teaching staff despite the publication of its advertisement in November, 2017. He has allegedly intentionally delayed the promotion of teaching faculties of the college for a long period of time.

The teaching and non-teaching staff of Lakhimpur Commerce College informed the present president (interim) of the governing body of the college, Dr. Manoranjan Pandit, in a letter dated May 20 on these complaints and allegations against the principal in-charge of the college. So far no response has been received from the president (interim) of the governing body over the matter, said the press release.

The same press release further stated that the present president (interim) of the governing body of the college, Dr. Manoranjan Pandit is himself facing court proceedings against him on financial irregularities worth several lakhs during his tenure as principal in Lakhimpur Girls’ College. So the ACTA unit of Lakhimpur Commerce College has resolved to demand the appointment of a new president of the governing body of the college by removing the present president whose reputation and image has been tarnished by corruption allegations.

On the other hand, Dr. Manoranjan Pandit on March 9 formed a review committee comprising Dr. Kamal Baruah, Assistant Professor, and KN Dutta, Assistant Professor, Lakhimpur Commerce College and Anjana Borah, Assistant Teacher, North Lakhimpur Girls’ High School to check the marks of the selection committee for the Principal’s interview held in July, 2015. The review committee found mistakes in calculation of the marks awarded to interviewed candidates by the selection committee and rectified the marks to make Dr. BS Behera the candidate with highest marks. Over the issue, the ACTA unit the college has expressed deep concern on the merit of the members of the review committee formed by the interim president of the governing body of the college to check and verify the marks of interviewed persons for the post of Principal conducted by a selection committee which comprised of eminent personalities from the field of academics nominated by Dibrugarh University and the Government of Assam. The ACTA unit of the college has demanded a through enquiry into this entire matter by the DHE, Government of Assam.

Also read: Assam news