Kolkata: West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) chairperson Mahua Das has been embroiled in a controversy over revealing the religious identity of the topper during the declaration of class 12th results. Mahua Das, without naming the girl, said on Thursday that a Muslim girl from Murshidabad district was the topper in class 12 by securing 499 marks out of 500. He also said that this year the merit list has not been prepared. Controversy has arisen over his statement. This was done keeping in mind the appeasement policy of TMC.
Leaders of political parties alleged that this was done keeping in mind the TMC’s policy of appeasement. However, a senior council official defended Das, saying that she just wanted to underline the fact that a girl from the minority community has struggled to top the social and economic barriers. This was done keeping in mind the appeasement policy of TMC.
Leaders of political parties alleged that this was done keeping in mind the TMC’s policy of appeasement. However, a senior council official defended Das, saying that she just wanted to underline the fact that a girl from the minority community has struggled to top the social and economic barriers. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted, “In Mamta Banerjee’s Bengal, politics of appeasement has reached a new low when a board official denounced the academic achievement of a class 12th student as her religious Identified less. He repeatedly told that the girl is a Muslim.
It is not fair to say that a Muslim girl has been a topper.
Similarly, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that when the council said during its press conference that a Muslim girl had been the topper, he did not feel it right. “We would have been happy if no attempt had been made to reveal the religious identity of a girl student,” he said. It is commendable that a girl student outperformed the boys and stooState unit president of Congress’ student wing Saurabh Prasad said Das should be absolved of his responsibilities for not apologizing for his remarks. He said that it is a matter of regret that the council president kept insisting on the religious identity of the topper but did not name his name.
Academics criticize Das for ‘linking religion with merit
Many academicians have also criticized Das for ‘linking religion with merit’. Amal Mukhopadhyay, former principal of the then Presidency College, said Das made a sentimental comment on the girl’s success, but inadvertently made a big mistake by associating religion with merit. West Bengal Imam Association president Mohammad Yahia said the council chief humiliated the student and downplayed her achievements. They demanded that he be immediately removed from the post for his petty mentality. Otherwise, we have to assume that the chief minister supports such remarks, as the council president has said, taking inspiration from Mamata Banerjee.
