Kolkata confidential

Assessment day or CU’s protest day
During the recent visit by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC),officials of the University of Calcutta had a tough time tackling on-campus students’ protests. Even as the three-day visit of NAAC was on,the College Street campus of the university saw unprecedented protests by students demanding re-examination. Aided by rival student unions like the DSO,the students created a ruckus by lying down on roads and sloganeering. The authorities made all efforts to keep the NAAC team away from the main campus with even the final meeting (with NAAC) being held at the Alipore Campus. Even after university officials convened a meeting to sort out the crisis,the protests continued thereby prompting authorities to issue a public statement rubbishing all allegations of protesting students. Released on the last day of NAAC’s visit,the public statement held that the protests were “politically motivated” and “intended to malign the university”.

Quality control
* Known for her simple looks,Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is now trying to pep up her image. Seen for long in her austere looks with the simple,non-ironed white saree and chappals,the recent couple of railway programmes attended by the minister show that her saree has undergone simple,yet,marked changes. They now have broader borders and are ironed too. The trademark white colour,however,remains unchanged. This has drawn appreciation from her close party leaders,both male and female. “As far as I know,she used to wear shabby plain white sarees. Now she wears those which are better on quality. She receives sarees as gifts in various festivals and is now often seen wearing them. She indeed looks better and we have shown appreciation for it,” said a senior leader of her party.