Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced an anti-ragging helpline where anyone from anywhere can call and report any form of ragging in Bengal.
The 24X7 toll-free West Bengal Anti-Ragging Helpline — 1800 345 5678 — became operational on Tuesday, Kolkata police commissioner Vineet Goyal said.
The city police will manage the helpline from their headquarters at Lalbazar.
When The Telegraph called the helpline at 8.44pm on Tuesday, a person responded: “Namaskar, anti-ragging helpline.”
The person confirmed that the helpline was operational. “The helpline will be functional 24X7,” he said.
Mamata on Tuesday said that more than educational qualifications, it is important for a person to be a good human being.
“Parents toil so much to bring up their children. If the children perform well, they get a chance to study in good institutes. It is painful if they have to undergo so much torture there. Not just in one place, this happens in several places. I have not heard of any place where this does not happen. In our times, it was not like this. It has increased manifold now,” she said.
“Just remember that getting 100 per cent marks does not reflect my true qualification. Being a proper human being is my real qualification. Some people may have fewer educational qualifications, but if they are good human beings, they will be supreme. Protest against such acts (ragging), we are there to support you,” she said.
The chief minister was addressing a programme attended by Durga Puja organisers at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Tuesday afternoon. She digressed from her speech and spoke about the helpline and the culture of ragging in educational institutions.
The “Jadavpur incident”, Mamata said, has been an eye-opener and that it prompted the state government to launch the anti-ragging helpline. People facing any form of ragging in educational institutions anywhere in the state are free to call the number and report their plight.
The complainant’s personal details and contact numbers will be kept confidential, she said.
“It (the helpline) has been set up at Lalbazar. The Jadavpur incident has been an eye-opener. It (ragging) was not there for a long time, or maybe many things happen that students do not divulge out of fear. I feel that if there is ragging in any university or workplace, make a call and share your number with us. Your information will remain confidential. The police will ensure your confidentiality,” the chief minister said.
Police commissioner Goyal said during the inauguration of the helpline: “This helpline is for the entire state of Bengal. People can call from anywhere. The police will reach you in no time. The anti-ragging committee will seek a report from the institution. Your identity will not be disclosed at any cost. You should not be worried about divulging your identity. We assure you that.”
The move came less than two weeks after the death of a 17-year-old student of Jadavpur University, who was allegedly ragged and thrown to death from the second-floor balcony of the main hostel. He had barely spent three days in the hostel.
Hours after the death, the chief minister had spoken to the boy’s father over the phone and assured him that a strict investigation would be carried out and “no one would be spared”.
Till Tuesday, 12 persons, students and former students of JU, have been arrested and charged with the child’s murder.