'A section of media want the teacher removed'

The Vice-Chancellor of Visva-Bharati, Professor Swapan Kumar Datta alleged that media organisations are playing an active role to remove contractual teachers from the university.

"A section of media have become active to remove a teacher from his post. Students do not have allegation against him but only media organisations are spreading allegations against him," the Vice-Chancellor said. The Vice-Chancellor's comment came at a time when some students and even some professors allegedly raised their voice against the extension of the contractual teacher.

Meanwhile, on Monday, a veteran 'Ashramik' or a hostelier of Visva-Bharati wrote a letter to the President of India and the Prime Minister against the Vice-Chancellor. Subodh Mitra, the hostelier reportedly alleged against the working procedure of the Vice-Chancellor in his letter.

However, refused to comment about the letter against him to the President of India and Prime Minister. But the V-C said that he had spoken to the students.

"I have personally discussed the matter with students. They said that they did not face any problem with that teacher. They are very happy with the action that the university took against him," Dutta said while talking with Millennium Post.

However, a student said: "I heard that there was an allegation of molestation against the said contractual teacher. The university authority also was conducting inquiry against the teacher. So it is improper to give further extension to him now," a student said.

It may be mentioned that Visva-Bharati recruited that teacher from Doordarshan for an audio-visual training course under an agreement with Prasar Bharati.

But some students of Journalism and Mass Communication had alleged that the teacher molested some students and misbehaved with them following which, the university authority started an inquiry.

"We have also received a counter-complaint against the earlier compliant. In that compliant, some students alleged that their names were included intentionally without their permission. They did not even sign on that compliant letter," the Vice-Chancellor said.