CM to inaugurate new bust of Vidyasagar today

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate a new bust of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar on Tuesday, nearly a month after the vandalisation of the bust at Vidyasagar College by suspected BJP supporters.

Two programmes related to the reinstallation of the bust will be held on Tuesday. Banerjee will pay floral tribute to the bust of Vidyasagar at a ceremonial programme at Hare School Ground in College Street. She will then walk from there to Vidyasagar College on Bidhan Sarani to attend another programme for reinstallation of the bust, which will be transported to Vidyasagar College from Hare School.

Writers, artistes and other eminent persons have been invited to attend the programme by the state department of Higher Education.

It was May 14 when BJP supporters participating in an election campaign rally of their national party president Amit Shah allegedly vandalised the bust. The new bust is made of bronze. The one that had been vandalised was made of plaster of Paris.

Banerjee will also inaugurate a bronze statue of Vidyasagar that will be installed on the footpath in front of Vidyasagar College facing Bidhan Sarani.

Calcutta University has already deferred the practical examinations of a semester paper of biochemistry that were scheduled to be held at Vidyasagar College on June 11 and 12. The examinations will now be held on June 13 and 14.

The biochemistry laboratory of the college is located at the old building on Bidhan Sarani. "The examinations have been deferred to ensure that there is no inconvenience to the examinees," a senior college official said.

An official in the Higher Education department reasoned that the programme is being held at the Hare School ground so that traffic on Bidhan Sarani does not get choked by any means.