The same old story, same old place. Institutions are different.
There is an old saying : “What Bengal thinks today, rest of
India thinks tomorrow”. A State which gifted us two Nobel Laureates
Rabindranath Tagore and Amartya Sen. Though not blessed with or honoured with the
Nobel Prize, a host of luminaries like J.C. Bose, S.N.Bose, both scientists,
revolutionaries like firebrand leaders like Subash Chandra Bose – the great
freedom fighter whose blood boiled for India, who tirelessly fought for forcing
the British imperialists flee from India, Jyoti Basu another firebrand Marxist
who shone like a crown jewel as the Chief Minister of Bengal and brought about
drastic reforms for the betterment of poor and down-trodden, a number of political
gems – the list is endless, – writers who made Bengal the pride of India like
Bankim Chandra Chatterji, Bibhuthu Bhushan Bandopadyaya, Bimal Mithra, Sunil
Gangopadyaya, Asha Poorna Devi, Mahaswetha Devi, Jhumpa Lahiri, Upamanyu
Chatterji – here too the list is unlimited, intellectuals and world famous film
personalities like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Ritwik Ghatak, Buddhadeva Das
Gupta, Aparna Sen – the ones who brought laurels to Bengal and thereby India. I
don’t want to list out each and every one, it is a tedious task – remember, that
old saying in that context – ie. ‘what Bengal thinks today, rest of India
thinks tomorrow’. The saying proved to be a prophetic until a decade ago. Now
regretfully, yes regretfully, ofcourse Bengal has forefeited that old saying,
all the honours and praises piled upon it are part of history.
Bengal has changed for the worse. Nobody needs to frown upon
what I mentioned just now. It is the truth, bitter truth, nothing but the truth
which nobody can’t deny.
The other day I wrote about a 5 year old child of
Shantiniketan who was forced to drink her urine for an innocent mistake, ie.
for bedwetting. The hostel warden named Uma Poddar, the one who ought to
perform her duties like a mother taking care of her children and showers abundant
love upon them had ordered the 5 year old child to drink her urine. That
heart-breaking news shook India, all found it unbelievable, reprehensible,
deplorable and what else?
Not even a week has elapsed, another such incident occurred
at a school in North Parganas. One VIIIth class student had to suffer the ignominy at the
hands of her teacher, one Rupa Dey. A 50 rupee note was reportedly lost from a student
in the class who lodged a complaint to the ‘stern’ teacher. She got suspicious
of the girl about whom I mentioned before and with a purpose to verify whether
the said student committed ‘theft’ she was strip-searched in the common room in
the presence of others in the room but nothing could be found. Imagine the
trauma that hapless girl student had undergone, she won’t ever forget that incident
in her life-time.
The girl’s parents filed a petition in the police station in
the locality detailing what all happened and the police promptly got the
teacher arrested. She was later freed on bail – the reason indicated was it was
a bailable crime.
Two incidents that too within a short span in the State of
Bengal which gave birth to Rabindranath Tagore- the role model for teachers and
students. He must be turning in his grave for the cruel punishments meted out
to two little students.
Bengal’s fame is going down infront of the world for various
reasons. To elaborate upon all would take time. Anyhow each of us is very well
aware of them and each of us should feel ashamed of ourselves .
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