Day before boards, blood donation camp held on TMC leader's birthday in Bengal school premises; sparks row

Kolkata: The renting of premises of a state-run higher secondary school in South 24 Parganas district for holding a blood donation programme on the birthday of a local Trinamool Congress leader triggered a row on Sunday, a day before the commencement of Class 12 board exams, as the BJP described the conduct of the party "shameful".

Union minister and West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar shared images of a pandal, decorated gate and illumination at Fatehpur Srinath Institution in a post on his X handle and commented "Shameful! Under @MamataOfficial’s rule, education in Bengal has hit rock bottom!" The hoarding and poster carried the name of local TMC youth wing leader Jehangir Khan wishing him on his birthday and asking people to join a blood donation camp organised at the venue on the occasion.

PTI could not independently verify the authencity of images and videos of the pandal shared by Majumdar but a West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education official said another image which showed the school as a higher secondary examination venue was real.

Khan could not be contacted but a school official said it was a blood donation programme held in one part of the school compound which was not earmarked for the exams and the organisers have been asked to dismantle the pandal as soon as the two-hour programme gets over.

Majumdar, Union minister of state for Education, said in the post "On the eve of Higher Secondary exams, a TMC youth leader's birthday is being lavishly celebrated at a school named Fatepur Srinath Institution in South 24 Parganas district —an official exam center! Lights, gates, pandals—like a festival, while hundreds of students are set to appear for their crucial exams tomorrow!".

"Where is the administration? Silent. Blind. Complicit. This is the state of Bengal's education under TMC—schools are now party offices, playgrounds for goons, and exam centers turned into TMC clubhouses!," the senior BJP leader said.

"Does @MamataOfficial or her Education Minister @basu_bratya have any answers? Or is ruining students' futures their only priority?," he asked.

A TMC leader said he will not comment on the incident before knowing all the facts.

Students from five schools in the area will write their papers at the examination centre from March 3.

The West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education official said the council was only concerned about the smooth conduct of the HS exams in the centre without causing any inconvenience to students.