RG Kar Hospital incident casts a shadow on Teachers’ Day celebrations across state
Kolkata: The Education Department observed Teachers’ Day in a subdued manner on Tuesday in the wake of the tragic incident at RG Kar Hospital. The annual celebration, typically marked by felicitations and awards, was scaled down.
State education minister Bratya Basu, during a press conference at Bikash Bhawan, expressed sorrow over the incident and emphasised the need for justice.
“Our CM expressed deep pain and stood with the victim’s family, demanding justice. In this light, we have decided to observe Teachers’ Day in a limited way sans grandeur,”
he said. The annual tradition of honouring the toppers of Secondary and Higher Secondary board exams, recognising prominent teachers with the ‘Shiksharatna Award’, and felicitating selected schools with the ‘Best School Award’ was postponed. Additionally, the ‘Taruner Swapna’ Scheme providing financial assistance to Class XI and XII students for purchasing smartphones, tablets, or PCs, was also deferred. However, the minister clarified that these events were merely postponed and not cancelled.
Meanwhile, Dipak Majumder, a teacher from Ramshankarpur High School in North 24-Parganas, returned his ‘Shiksharatna Award’ in protest against the incident. The minister said: “It’s their democratic right to refuse the award just how we have the right to give it to them,” he said.
Referring to one of the artistes who returned the state awards, Basu said: “Anyone can refuse. However, a BJP delegation visited his house yesterday and thanked him for returning the award. I will also thank him. I will also say he was once a candidate of the Left Front in an election. On behalf of Natya Akademi. Despite being a Left candidate, the Trinamool government did not discriminate against him...”
Basu added he hoped that these artistes will also return awards, if any, given by the central government if ever such a heinous crime happens at the central level.
On Teachers’ Day, the Rabindra Bharati Teachers’ Association led a protest march while the Bangiya Prathamik Shikshak Samiti staged protests at College Square and Siliguri.
