At least 25 Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists were injured after police resorted to lathi-charge during a ‘peaceful’ agitation at Shiksha Bhavan in Agartala on Tuesday.
Rupam Dutta, state secretary (organization) of ABVP, strongly condemned the incident. He alleged that the agitation was launched for the interest of students but police lathi-charged them mercilessly leaving around 20-25 persons injured.
The ABVP activists were protesting at Shiksha Bhavan demanding online examinations for the D.El.Ed students since 11 am. But, no official from the Education department met them till 6 pm.
In a hard hitting speech, Rupam Dutta slammed the Police department for ‘merciless lathi-charge on helpless students’ as well as education department for its insensitivity towards the interests of D.El.Ed students.
“The entire education system is collapsing following inefficacy of the Education department. The department is in deep slumber”, an ABVP member said, particularly blaming the Secretary of Education.
Addressing a press conference with some of the injured ABVP activists at IGM hospital, Dutta said they would stage a protest programme on Wednesday following which they would raise demand for suspension of the Secretary of Education.
Meanwhile, police said the protestors were informed that their demand would be discussed at 11 am but they were in no mood to listen to anything and the employees were stuck inside the Shiksha Bhavan since morning. Finally, police had to resort to ‘minor lathi-charge’ to disperse the protestors, an officer told the media.
However, common people around the Shiksha Bhavan contradicted the Police claim and several videos which are circulating in social media depicted a ruthless face of security personnel against a group of students who were holding peaceful agitation.
Realizing that public sentiment was going against the officials, Director of Higher Education N.C. Sharma accompanied by Director of Elementary Education Chandni Chandran held an urgent press conference at Agartala Press Club highlighting some important issues.
An official said, “D.El.ED students were protesting at Shiksha Bhavan for online examination though no decision on the issue was taken yet. The D.El.Ed (DIET) is only looked after by SCERT but they had gheraoed the entire Shiksha Bhavan from morning. They were protesting at the wrong place. There is no office of SCERT inside Shiksha Bhavan. Only thing is that the Director of Higher Education is also the Director of SCERT.”
“Like the highly learned officials we were aware that there is no office of SCERT inside Shiksha Bhavan. However, we submitted a deputation to the Director of Higher Education regarding our demand for online exams on Friday last. The same Director was here in the Shiksha Bhavan, so we were here”, an ABVP leader argued.
“We tried our level best; we also informed them that they can have a meeting with the Education minister tomorrow and issues will be solved. It’s a matter of one night only. Police also tried hard to remove them without force. But, they didn’t go following which the police had to apply minor force. No girl was harmed, they were escorted peacefully,” the official said.