By Zaidul Haque, Muslim Mirror
Kolkata, July 27 : In the run of forming second term government Trinamool Congress in West Bengal led by Mamata Banerjee is facing allegation of discrimination against Muslim community. BJP and other saffron parties always blame West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee for appeasement of Muslim in state. Apparently BJP has decided to play ‘Muslim appeasement’ card in coming 2021 state Assembly elections. But, reality is different. However Mamata Banerjee is working for the development of the minority communities in Bengal. Her secular image has got popularity among the Muslims in the state.
She introduced ten percent OBC-A reservation in government jobs in Bengal. OBC-A particularly covers Muslim community. So, Muslims are benefited from the reservation. But a section of communal officers in the inside the administration not willing to implement OBC-A reservation quota properly. Even recruitment of teachers in English Medium Model Madrasa which is under the Minority Affair and Madrasa Education department are not concerned with the deprived the Muslim community.
On 23rd July 2020 Public Service Commission of West Bengal Government declared the recommended teachers list of Geography subject for 12 state run English Medium Model Madrasa in Bengal. Surprisingly all 12 recommended teachers come from Hindu community. No Muslim figures in the recommended teachers list. Netizens on social media are protesting against the ‘communal’ approach of the ruling government. Even, former State Minority Affair and Madrasa education Minister Dr. Abdus Sattar, who is now a congress leader, has condemned the discrimination recruitment proces of Model Madrasa teachers. Not only Dr. Abdus Sattar, Member of Parliament and Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya, MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya.and Pradip Bhattacharya alleged that, there is lack of transparency in recruitment of teachers in Model Madrasa. Interview panel should have Muslim representative and secular persons for proper recruitment. MLA Sujan Chakraborty condemned that saying ‘absence of minority candidate in recruitment for Model Madrasa is surprising. Social Students Organisations has protested the move. Ariyan Sultan the head of organization told, that they had started campaigning against the discrimination of the Muslim candidates in Model Madrasa teacher recruitment in the state.
In West Bengal the first Government run English medium High Madrasa started functioning on 23rd June for the academic year 2014-15 in Nadia district’s Paninala village. At that time for KG classes and above 5 teachers had been appointed on temporary basis. Classes were held from 8 am to 12 noon. This Madrasa had been ‘Paninala English Medium High Madrasa’ and built by the state government on 187 acres of Waqf land belonging to . department of Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education had spent Rs 8 crore for the construction and basic infrastructure of Madrasa buildings . It was a great initiatives by Nadia’s District Magistrate P. B. Saleem who introduced first English Medium Madrasa in Bengal. But the concept to establish English Medium Madrasa was introduced during Left Front regime in early 2010. At that time Dr. Abdus Sattar was State Minority Affiars minister . According to Abdus Sattar ‘in the first phase ‘ the Madrasa Education department planned to open 12 English Medium Madrasa in 11 minority-dominated districts.
Presently there are 614 recognized Madrasas in the state out of that 102 Madrasa’s that are running under Senior Madrasa Education System and rest 512 Madrasahs are under High Madrasah Education System. 400 out of 61 Madrasa’s are High Madrasa’s,112 Madrasa’s are Junior High Madrasahs and remaining 102 Madrasa’s are Senior Madrasa’s.6 Senior Madrasa’s have been upgraded to Fazil (10+2) Madrasa’s. 210 High Madrasa’s have been upgraded to Higher Secondary (10+2) Madrasa’s and 183 Madrasahs are running vocational courses for skill development. Out of total recognized Madrasahs 57 are for girls, 554 are co-educational, 3 are for boys and 17 are running under Urdu medium.
Apart from this, State Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department took initiatives to establish at least 14 Model Madrasa which is English medium. This initiative has been rapidly increased when Chief Minister announced allocation of sufficient fund in state Budget for Minority development.
Presently 12 English medium Madrasa are functioning in several minority populated districts. Along with Paninala English Medium High Madrasa in Nadia district 12 English Medium Madrasa are controlled by Directorate of Madrasa Education of West Bengal. Among them, North 24 Parganas Model Madrasa which was established in 2015 is located at Kadambagachi under Barasat Sub division. In Murshidabad district Murshidabad Model Madrasa was established in 2014 at Berhampore area. South 24 Parganas Model Madrasa was established in 2015 at Sarengabad under Canning Block-II. Dakshin Dinajpur Model Madarsa was established in 2014 and located in Ramkrishnapur in Kumarganj. Like these Birbhum Model Madarsa, Coochbehar model Mdrasa, North Dinajpur Model Madrasa etc located in the particular districts which are minority concentrated area.
English Medium Madrasa teacher recruitment processing was not controlled by Madrasa Service Commission. Madrasa Service Commission engaged to recruit teaching and non-teaching staff for the High Madrasa, Senior Madrasa only. These 614 Madrasa were recognized by West Bengal Board of Madrasah Education under the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department. All these Madrasa are government aided. Apart from this, all English medium Madrasa are running directly by state government. However English medium Madrasa are controlled by Directorate of Madrasa Education, but recruitment process arranged by West Bengal Public Service commission. Naturally, as per DME recommendation PSC managing recruited teachers for said 12 English Medium Madrasa. In this regards PSC issued advertisement notice for recruitment. After that many candidates appeared in examination and PSC called successful candidates for interview.
PSC called for interview for different subject to recruit Assistant Master/ Mistress Against the Advt 4 (2) 2017 for English, Advt 4 (3) 2017 for Bengali, Advt 4 (4) 2017 for Mathematics, Advt 4 (5) 2017 for Chemistry/Physics and Advt 4 (6) 2017 for Geography. The interview was called in March, 2020 on separate dates. After the interview only Geography subject result has been declared on 24th July, 2020. Result show, for 12 permanent post of Geography subject all recommended teachers are from Hindu Community, none of them is Muslim. However, interview was held on 2nd to 5th March, 2020, in which out of 64 candidates 14 were Muslims. They are, Firdausi Rahman Siddika, Joynab Khatun, Rozina Khatun, Mehedi Hasan Mandal, Sairuddin Sk, Bulbul Hasan, Md, Nasibul Hoque, Munshi Md. Amim, Tarikul Islam, Ariful Mallick, Md Hafizur Rahman, Iman Sk, Md. Juber Alam and Md. Azizul Hossain.
These Muslim was called as OBC (A) category. But, when result declared on 24th July, no Muslim got the chances. The successful candidates are from Hindu community: Soumen Ghosh, Moumita Kar, Baishali Kundu, Shishovan Majumder, Meghdut Shaw, Suraj Ghosh, Shuvasish Karmokar, Sanjib Chakraborty, Pallab Nandi, Chandradip paul, Mrinmoy pal and Rekha Mondal.
Except Geography result for other subjects are yet to be declared . So, anxiety graved the Muslim candidates who appeared in interview. As per enlisted candidates for interview Muslim candidates are in good number
For Bengali subject called 61 candidates were called for interview . Among them 7 are Muslims. They are, Kamrun Nahar Khatun, Sk. Mehebub, Akhtarul Shaikh, Sk. Arif Mondal, Nargis parvin, Md Wasil Sk, Sabnam Mustary.
For English out of 62 candidates 20 are Muslims . They are, Nawajish Islam, Aleya Khatun, Md Yousuf Ali, Sk Benazir, Foyez Ahmed Syed, Nurul Hasan, Imran Sk, Asgar Ali, Farid Ali, Firoj Mir, Hajikul Islam, Minhaz Mallick, Abdur Rajjak, (BC-A), Sadikul Islam, Masoom Islam, Nasrin Sultana, Salma Sultana, Md Sujauddin Shaikh and Shamim Ahmed.
For Mathematics out of 63 candidates called for interview 24 are Muslims. They are, Ariful Islam Molla, Md Salim Masud Molla, Ayesha Sultana, Jahirul Sk, Selim Usuf, Md Sarifuddin, Md Hadiqul Alam, Manjilur Rahman, Mostak Kamal Molla, Mabud Hossain, Sk Nazmul Haque, Md Mirajul Islam, Bachchu Sk, Md Maniruzzaman, Faruk Biswas, Sk Sarfaraj Nawaj, Nadim Mahamud Shaikh, Sk Basiruddin, Abdul Alamin, Amir Hossain, Dalim Mia, Jahangor Alaim, Sab Sultana and Sabiruddin Molla.
For Physics and Chemistry out of 60 candidates called for interview 19 are Muslims. They are, Arafat Hossein Sk, Alium Murshida, Manjur Alam Molla, Ismail Shaikh, Baharul Islam Ansari, Md Arshad Ali, Salim Aktar, Nazma Aktar, Mabud Hasan, Hasanujjaman, Anarul Mondal, Sultana Parveen, Anisur Ali Zamadder, Salma Khatun, Sk Abdul Jabbar, Hasan Mohammad, Saheli Debnath, Abu Taleb Gazi and Giyasuddin Khan.
Except geography the result of successful candidates for the post of teachers are yet to be declared. A large number of Muslim candidates appeared in interview cum personality test for Mathematics, English, Bengal and Physics-Chemistry. After un- expected results in Geography the emotions in Muslim candidates are very high.