The Cooch Behar Panchanan Burma University has decided to institute an award in the name of Panchanan Burma, a social reformer and the most revered person of the Rajbanshi community.
Varsity authorities said the award would be presented to those who carried out researches on the life and works of Panchanan Burma.
The decision, however, drew flak from the BJP which said Trinamul was using the varsity to honour its own people and also trying to draw the Rajbanshi community closer to it.
On Thursday, Abdul Kader Safily, the registrar of the varsity, said: “The executive council of the varsity has decided that from now on, the annual convocation will be held on first day of Falgun (a date in the Bengali calendar that usually falls on February 13 or 14), that is, the birth anniversary of Panchanan Burma.”
This year, the convocation will be held on February 14.
“It has been also decided that from this year, the varsity will introduce Panchanan Burma Memorial Award. It will be presented to those who have worked on Panchanan Burma, on the convocation day every year,” the registrar added.
This year, Prasenjit Burman, a senior lawyer and former MP, will be handed over the award, said varsity sources. Burman is also a former chairman of the Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy that has been constituted by the state.
The convocation will be held at Utsab, a government auditorium in Cooch Behar town. As of now, there are 15 degree colleges and two law colleges affiliated to the varsity.
“At the convocation, 39 students will be awarded gold medals and another 44 will get silver medals. Some other awards will also be presented at the event,” said Safily.
Asked whether the governor, who is also the chancellor of the varsity, would be present at the convocation, the registrar said the varsity had sent the invitation but was yet to get a confirmation from Raj Bhavan.
The BJP has alleged the award has been instituted for political purposes. According to BJP leaders, the Rajbanshi community is not with Trinamul as was evident in the last Lok Sabha polls. They said Rajbanshi leaders like Atul Roy and Bangshibadan Burman, who were posted on boards and academies constituted by the state government, were singing different tunes.
“That is why the Trinamul is trying to draw support of the community by using institutions like the CBPBU and by announcing the award. We will see whether those known for their researches on Panchanan Burma and the Rajbanshis but not associated with the Trinamul are selected for the award in future,” said Nikhil Ranjan Dey, a district BJP leader.
