School functioning shouldn't be hampered, says Mamata Banerjee
Banerjee added that the girl's family had every right to protest and that they must do it.
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said some people were trying to politicise the situation in the G.D. Birla Centre for Education, where a four-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by two teachers, and added that the functioning of the school should not be hampered.
Apparently referring to BJP MP Roopa Ganguly’s visit to the school on Monday, the Trinamul Congress (TMC) supremo said some people, who were not directly or indirectly involved in the matters of the school, were trying to take advantage of the situation.
“They come to play politics. This is a part of a plan, so that some schools stop functioning here,” she said.
Ms Banerjee added that the girl’s family had every right to protest and that they must do it. But the education of the students must not be hampered and the school must function as usual, she said, while speaking at a programme of the state government here.
Classes were suspended in the school following a parents’ protest, which entered its fifth day on Tuesday. Stating that what had happened in the school was “not right”, the chief minister said teachers, particularly those in co-education schools, had to share an extra responsibility and ensure that such incidents did not take place.
“Teachers are the pride of the society. They are our guardians, friends, philosophers and guides. One or two teachers may turn out to be bad, but that does not make the whole teaching community bad. Keeping this in mind, the teachers have to isolate those among them who are bad,” she said.
The agitating parents demanded that the principal of the G.D. Birla Centre for Education be removed and arrested.
The police have arrested two physical training teachers of the school in connection with the incident.
Ms Banerjee said those involved in the incident should face a strong action.
She added that the schools had to be very careful, so that such incidents did not recur.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), to which the school was affiliated, should also look into the matter, Ms Banerjee said.