The vice-chancellor and a faculty member of Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University (CBPBU) filed separate police complaints in the past 24 hours, alleging that a section of faculty members and some others had made “racist” remarks against them.

On Tuesday, tension cropped up at the varsity as Abdul Kader Safily, the registrar who was suspended by Nikhil Chandra Roy, the vice-chancellor, walked into his office.

“I have joined my office and will continue to work as the registrar according to the instructions of the state higher education department,” Safily had said.

Soon after he reached the chamber, Roy, the VC, and reached the varsity. A section of teachers, non-teaching staff and students demonstrated against him and locked his chamber. He was also not allowed to use his official vehicle.

Later, the VC reached Kotwali police station and filed a complaint. He alleged that some teachers and employees have commented on his caste.

“They shouted at me, saying that they will not accept a VC who is a Rajbanshi, while asserting that they will remove me from the post at any cost,” Roy has mentioned in the complaint.

On Wednesday, Sablu Barman, a teacher at CBPBU, reached the same police station and lodged a complaint. In his complaint, Barman has mentioned that yesterday, he went to meet the registrar.

“As I came out of his chamber, some teachers, along with some outsiders, hurled abuses at me. While addressing me as a Rajbanshi teacher, they said they would not remove me from the varsity. This is a humiliation for me and the entire community,” said Barman.

Both Roy and Barman belong to the Rajbanshi community.

As the news spread, a delegation of some prominent faces of the community stood beside the vice-chancellor.

“We condemn the manner in which the VC has been humiliated. Those who were involved in it should face appropriate steps. There should be a comprehensive inquiry into the incident,” said Ratan Barman.

TMCP protest

The Alipurduar district committee of Trinamul Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) resorted to protests at the Alipurduar University campus on Wednesday, demanding a permanent vice-chancellor, a registrar and a controller of examinations at the varsity.

They even locked the chamber of the VC and the registrar for around three hours. None of them however, were in their office then.

“The chief minister took the initiative to make this university but because of the Governor, students here are facing problems. The VC who has been deputed by him stays away most of the time. The classes are irregular and students here are suffering,” said Samir Ghosh, the district TMCP president.