RTI activist fires salvo at Barkataky

Murky matters

*     Minister’s kin leapfrogs his seniors to get the post of Principal.

*    Minister’s kin was not even in the panel of claimnts for the post.

*    Minister’s kin did his Master’s in Rural Development, a subject not known to many in Assam.

*    Minister’s kin submitted a B.Ed certificate from IGNOU on January 25, 2015. However, the certificate was issued by IGNOU on February 3, 2015.

*    According to rules, any claimnt for the post of principal has to submit all his/her documents at least 45 days before appointment. However, in  case the minister’s kin, this rule has been violated.

*    RTI activist asks minister to issue show-cause notices to the Director of Secondary Education and the IS concerned if he has no hand in this episode.     

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 31: They say old habits die hard. If what RTI activist Dulal Bora alleges has anything to go by, the State Education Department is surely back in the days of murky past. Those who are kin of the State Education Minister, Bora alleges, can violate all standing rules and leapfrog their seniors to grab plum posts.

Talking to newsmen at Dispur Press Club today, Bora said: “For being the nephew of State Education Minister Sarat Barkataky, one Anup  Barthakur has violated all standing rules of the State secondary schools and leapfrogged a number of his seniors to grasp the post of Principal of Dergaon Higher Secondary School.”

According to Bora, Gu Baruah, the Principal of Dergaon Higher Secondary School, superannuated on January 31, 2015. “The  panel made for the post has many senior teachers. However, by virtue of being the minister’s nephew Anup Barthakur, whose me is not even in the panel, has leapfrogged all his seniors and become the Principal of the school. The district Inspector of Schools (IS) did ask the senior-most teacher, the vice principal of the school, to take the post of Principal, but that had to be cancelled,” Bora said.

Bora also alleged that Anup Barthakur’s credential for the post is also murky. “Barthakur had his master’s in Rural Development, a subject not known to many in Assam. This apart, he submitted a B.Ed certificate from Indira Gandhi Open University (IGNOU) on January 25, 2015. However, the certificate was issued by IGNOU on February 3, 2015. The post of Principal was vacated on January 1, 2015. According to the standing rules in the State secondary schools, any claimant for the post of principal has to submit all his/her documents at least 45 days before appointment. However, in this case, by virtue of being a kin of the Education Minister that rule has been violated,” Bora alleged.

“Aware of the forgery, I lodged an FIR in Dergaon police station on May 15, 2015. The police station registered a case on May 18, 2015 since when Barthakur went missing till May 25, 2015 without even informing anyone of the school. If the Education Minister really doesn’t have his involvement in the episode, she should issue show-cause notices to the Director of Secondary Education, Assam and Golaghat IS asking them to state as to why they failed to take any action against Barthakur for remaining absent from the school without informing anyone. If the minister doesn’t, his involvement in the episode will be as clear as day,” Bora said.