KOLKATA: The concern was expressed by a CPM MLA. And it was echoed by a heavyweight minister from Trinamool Congress.

Standing on the floor of the House on Wednesday, CPM’s Kamarhati MLA Manas Mukherjee said schools fanning religious fundamentalism in Bengal were a real cause of concern. In reply, education minister Partha Chatterjee said, “We will not tolertate spreading of religious intolerance in the name of teaching students and running schools.” This unusual unanimity between arch-rivals CPM and Trinamool is largely being seen as an effort to isolate the BJP in Bengal politics a year before the panchayat polls.

Mukherjee told the education minister that nearly 350 schools in Bengal are run by Right wing Hindu fundamentalist organizations.

“In all, 60,545 students study in these schools. These schools are influencing innocent minds and promoting religious intolerance. There are some government-aided schools, which, under the influence of RSS, do not follow government rules. They have their own holiday list, own prayer. This is quite dangerous for Bengal’s religious amity. The government must take appropriate action against such schools.” Chatterjee was quick to reciprocate.

Only a day before, CPM state secretary Suryakanta Mishra lambasted the Trinamool-led government for distorting history and describing British-era Islamic preacher Titumir as “communal” in history textbooks. Mishra was referring to a textbook being taught in one of these schools.

Trinamool spokesperson Derek O’Brien said, “Whether schools, social media or civic life, the RSS is attempting to spread unadulterated bigotry. We will not allow this to pollute Bengal.”

BJP, however, is confident that the state can gain nothing out of it. “Arjun Singh, the former Union HRD minister, had first attempted this. Later, Mulayam Singh Yadav, as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, attempted it. They didn’t succeed. If the state wants to do anything, they have to consider all such schools run by various trusts or missions. If they take legal steps, we will battle it out in court. If they want to play politics, we will battle it out on the streets,” said Dilip Ghosh, state BJP president.

Chatterjee blamed it on the Left regime when these schools had been given NOC. “Later on the NOCs were routinely extended. We are looking into allegations against these schools very seriously and will take appropriate action,” he said.

