Attending a West Bengal Day event at the University of Calcutta, Higher Education Minister Jagannath Chattopadhyay sharply criticized what he described as decades of historical distortion, saying, “People have been misled for so long; it is like trying to cover fish with greens.” The minister, making his first appearance at the university since taking office, used the occasion to praise former vice-chancellor and leader Syama Prasad Mukhopadhyaya and to press for a re-examination of how the state’s history is taught.
University vice‑chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh recalled Syama Prasad Mukhopadhyaya’s contributions and said, in strong terms, that without him “there might not even be a West Bengal today.” Responding to that remark, Minister Chattopadhyaya said the recent political change in the state has allowed such assessments to be voiced openly and added that these are views the Bharatiya Janata Party has long expressed.
The minister accused the previous state government of concealing historical facts and announced that the current administration has instructed schools, colleges and universities to teach the “correct history and context” of West Bengal Day. He framed the move as restoring truthful public education and criticized earlier political priorities, alleging that when electoral fortunes wane, the previous regime focused on building temples-citing proposals such as a Jagannath temple at Digha, a Mahakal temple in Siliguri and a Durga temple in New Town-as examples of vote‑bank politics.
On archival work, Ashutosh Ghosh said the university has already preserved records of its vice‑chancellors from Sir Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay up to 1947 and that remaining documents will be similarly archived. He indicated plans to specially conserve Sir Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay’s joining letter and other memorabilia in the university precincts.
Parallel to the celebration, the minister held a meeting with the vice‑chancellor and representatives of the teachers’ association, where faculty shortages and coordination problems were raised. Chattopadhyaya instructed the university to prepare a detailed list of issues and requirements for institutional improvement and submit it to the higher education department. According to sources, the vice‑chancellor will compile the list soon and meet the minister; the higher education minister has given full assurances of a swift response.
Original Source: https://assam.nenow.in/without-shyama-prasad-west-bengal-would-not-have-existed-minister-jagannath-chattopadhyay-said/
Category: দেশ,শীর্ষ সংবাদ
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Publish Date: 2026-06-19 22:28:00
