Students agitate in Shibpur as demand for money surfaces again

Kolkata: Students put up a road block at Shibpur in Howrah, alleging that some students of Dinabandhu College are demanding money to allot seats, flouting the instruction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Partha Chatterjee, state Education minister.

The students alleged that despite the Education minister's assurance that counselling would be done through online with verification done after admission, the college authorities are continuing with the old counselling system.

The students have been asked to see college authorities. Students with lesser marks in Higher Secondary examination have got seats against payment of money to the union, the students alleged. A student made deep cuts on his right arm as a mark of protest.

The students alleged that those who got 50% marks got admission in the college by paying money, while those who got marks between 60% to 70%, have been denied admission.

"The college authorities have asked us to log into the college website but we found that all the seats have been filled up. How can students with less marks get admission in the college?" the students wondered.

A large contingent of police has been posted in the area to prevent any untoward incident.

In another incident, the police detained two Trinamool Chatra Parishad leaders, who had demanded Rs 1 lakh from students, assuring admission in the colleges in Birbhum. The students recorded their dialogue with the two leaders on cell phone and submitted it to the police. The students alleged that despite the proof, the police were not arresting them.

The students further alleged that despite Mamata Banerjee's instruction to the police to arrest anyone asking for money assuring seats in colleges, some students are still doing it.

They alleged that instead of asking for money to allot seat in a particular college, some students are asking for money to allot seats in any college in the district.