TMC, CPI(M) trade charges over school vandalisation

A political blame game has started between the ruling Trinamool Congress and Opposition CPI(M) over the recent vandalism at a Dum Dum school following the death of a student in an alleged case of ragging.
Trinamool Congress All-India General Secretary Mukul Roy today directly accused CPI(M) of playing a leading role in the vandalism with a view to maligning the state government.
"CPI(M) was directly involved in what happened at the Christ Church Girls' High School. As per information I have gathered, CPI(M) planned (the disturbance) to prove that the government was a failure," Roy said.
But responding to the above charge, senior CPI(M) leader Md Salim said it was the ruling party which had played a dirty game in the matter.

"Why did police allow vandalism to take place in the first place? Police did not act properly on the advice of the TMC leadership. The ruling party can't avoid its responsibililty by accusing others," Salim said.
Earlier in the day, during a visit to the deceased girl's residence, leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Surya Kanta Mishra, demanded immediate arrest of those who ransacked the school.

He also demanded that an inquiry be held into how the traumatised girl died at a private nursing home where she had been admitted.
"Such hooliganism at educational institutions should not be tolerated. Those who were involved in the incident should be immediately arrested," Mishra said.

"As the family members have said, a proper inquiry should also be done into the functioning of the private nursing home where the girl was admitted," said Mishra.
State Congress president Pradip Bhattacharya also visited the girl's residence during the day and demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits involved in the vandalism.