People's Democracy

THE Bengal unit of the CPI (M) has expressed its displeasure over the recent visit made by a US envoy to a number of Madrasas in the state. The US envoy, a minister-counsellor in the US embassy, did not bother to inform either the state government or the union government before taking off on what was apparently a "fact finding mission."

The US diplomat went on to descend upon several Madrasas and reportedly made detailed enquiries about the syllabi being followed. He is also alleged to have spoken to the teachers of the Madrasas about the curriculum and the methods of teaching.

Describing these acts as highly irregular, state secretary of the Bengal unit of the CPI (M), Anil Biswas said that if the US envoy "desired to know more about the Madrasa system of education, he could very well have approached the state government or the union government with his queries." The way he proceeded to visit the Madrasas was certainly an inappropriate move on his part, commented Anil Biswas.

He cited another recent instance of such unwarranted moves by US officials. The CPI (M) leader stated that another US diplomat had of late written to the head of the department of a university faculty expressing his desire to address the students on a topic of his own choice. There was no attempt on envoy’s part to route his request via either the vice-chancellor or the registrar of the university. The students, Biswas disclosed, chose to respond in their own manner to the impromptu request, and would not bother to turn up to listen to whatever the US official had to say to them.