Bengal: Video shows school students with umbrellas in classroom as water leaks from roof; BJP hits out at govt
TMC MP Rachana Banerjee said, “It is very sad that students are sitting in their classroom with umbrellas. In my constituency, many such schools are there because the previous MP did nothing"
The Panchpara primary school of Pandua, which has been around since 1972, has witnessed three of its four classrooms collapse, with the fourth in a dilapidated condition
A POLITICAL tussle has broken out over a video that surfaced on social media purportedly showing school students sitting in a classroom with umbrellas as water is leaking from the roof. The BJP has targeted the ruling TMC government in the state over the issue.
The Panchpara primary school of Pandua, which has been around since 1972, has witnessed three of its four classrooms collapse, with the fourth in a dilapidated condition.
Two of the classrooms have tin shade at the roof but these are not in usable condition now and water is leaking from the roof, sources said.
BJP leader Amit Malviya wrote about the issue on X recently, “What a shame! This is the tragic reality of Mamata Banerjee’s “education model” in West Bengal. In Hooghly district, 68 young students aged 5 to 10 are being forced to sit in classrooms holding umbrellas — because rainwater leaks through the broken roof of their school.”
Malviya added, “Where are the thousands of crores claimed to be spent on school infrastructure? Where is the much-hyped “Banglar Shiksha”? When the government is busy promoting appeasement and photo-ops, this is what children in Bengal endure — a collapsed system, no dignity, no basic facilities. This is not governance. This is criminal neglect.”
Teacher-in-charge Jayanta Gupta, who joined the school in 2023, said on Saturday, “I informed the school education department about the issue several times but nothing was done. Recently, the school education department sent two tripals (tarpaulin sheets) for a temporary solution.”
TMC MP Rachana Banerjee said, “It is very sad that students are sitting in their classroom with umbrellas. In my constituency, many such schools are there because the previous MP did nothing. I should have been given time to implement renovation work.”
Story continues below this ad
However, local BDO Srebanti Biswas said, “We got the complaint. We sent an estimation to the school for repair work. Meanwhile, as a makeshift arrangement, we also sent tripals.”
Former CPI(M) MLA of Pandua, who is also a school teacher, Amzad Hossain said, “Under TMC rule, the entire education system has been ruined. Infrastructural development has also not taken place.”
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
