Manmohan_File_670
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. — File photo

KOLKATA: The Calcutta High Court on Friday "directed a petitioner to send a notice to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh" who is also the Chancellor of the Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, in relation to an incident in which "a class V student of the University’s Patha Bhavan was forced to drink her urine by the hostel warden as a punishment for bedwetting", a report published on The Hindu said.

A petition had been filed by lawyer Tapas Bhanja regarding the incident in which the advocate brought to the court's notice the violation of its 2004 ruling which banned corporal punishment in the schools in the state of Kolkata.

Advocate Bhanja told The Hindu that the court had directed him to "serve the contempt petition to all the alleged contemnors stating that the matter will be heard on July 27".

The report further stated that notices were also issued to University Vice-Chancellor Professor Sushanta Dutta Gupta, Registrar Manimukut Mitra and Uma Poddar, the accused warden.

The court moreover directed that a notice be served to the secretary of the state's school education department, the report said.

The Hindu also reported that earlier, Singh's office had sought a report from the Union Human Resource Development Ministry regarding the incident. It added that the said report had been submitted by the university.

Opinion

The Dar story continues

The Dar story continues

One wonders what the rationale was for the foreign minister — a highly demanding, full-time job — being assigned various other political responsibilities.

Editorial

Wheat protests
Updated 01 May, 2024

Wheat protests

The government should withdraw from the wheat trade gradually, replacing the existing market support mechanism with an effective new one over the next several years.
Polio drive
01 May, 2024

Polio drive

THE year’s fourth polio drive has kicked off across Pakistan, with the aim to immunise more than 24m children ...
Workers’ struggle
Updated 01 May, 2024

Workers’ struggle

Yet the struggle to secure a living wage — and decent working conditions — for the toiling masses must continue.
All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...