The sit-in of some women students of Milli Al-Ameen Girls’ College, Kolkata, which had started on November 28, came to an end on December 7. The students were protesting the closure of the college as well as the withdrawal of minority status granted thereto years ago. In this context, a delegation comprising Maulana Abdul Aziz, Secretary of the Forum for Democracy and Communal Amity (FDCA), Qamruddin Malik, Shadab Masoom, and Saba Mohammadi (a student of B.A.) called on the Governor of West Bengal on December 4 and apprised him of the problems being faced by the college. The crux of the discussion with the Governor revolved around the question of minority status of the college. The demand regarding the Role of Management of the College has been accepted.
In addition, the most controversial issue caused after the transfer of a teacher, Baisakhi Banerjee has been solved. The inhuman and unethical practices followed by Ms. Banerjee were detrimental to the education system of the college. She also played a major part in the withdrawal of the minority status of the college. Her actions were enabled and strengthened due to the assistance extended to her by the Trinamool government. Had the government not supported her in accomplishing her nefarious designs, the college would not be in such a dire situation. The college had to struggle to emerge out of the quagmire into which it had been thrown by the Trinamool government years ago.
In the meantime, Ms. Banerjee decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Her activities as an active member of the party were reflective of her ‘pro-government’ tendencies. In recent times, the Trinamool took up the issues of the college in a more serious light and with some degree of sincerity.
Additionally, the issues concerning the parent body of the college, the roles of Milli Educational Organisation Management, which had been stalled and kept in abeyance for long have been restored. In totality, the Government of West Bengal has accepted the demands put forth by the Milli Educational Organisation. The relief and happiness of the students, as well as all concerned persons of the institution, knew no bounds upon receiving this positive news.
The students of the college had been agitating against the “stoppage of online classes, semester exams and hanging of results.” Taking into consideration the career prospects of students, the WB Government has assured the management that every possible step would be taken to solve the issues raised and the problems faced.
Mr. Firhad Hakim, Minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal took a keen interest in solving the problems faced by the students of the college. He reached the college to meet the students on December 7. He advised Mr Amiruddin Bobby to prepare a memorandum in consultation with the concerned members of the college, to be placed before Shri Partha Chatterjee, Minister of Higher Education, Govt. of West Bengal. Mr. Hakim also assured the management and the students present to get all the issues solved.
The parent body of the College, the Milli Educational Organisation, Beniapukur, Kolkata, founded this college in 1992 at the same location. The organisation was headed by some prominent personalities such as late Md. Alauddin, Shaukat Ali, Alauddin Presswaley, Prof. Mazher Hassan, Md. Alamgir, Md. Shahjahan and Mushtaque Ahmad. Barring late Md. Alauddin, all other persons were members of the Governing Body as well. The late Sultan Ahmed, Member of Parliament and Adviser to the Chief Minister, Govt. of West Bengal, shouldered the responsibilities of Presidentship with unflinching dedication. In the beginning, the college functioned well. But in the years to come, some teachers of the college began to engage in disruptive activities, which was antithetical to its smooth functioning. This also led to unnecessary intervention and interference in the day-to-day functioning of the college, which in turn affected the interests of the students. The consequences of these decisions inevitably unfolded over time. Thanks to the sit-in staged by women students of the college and the delegation that called on the Governor, the peaceful academic situation of the college has come back.