CPI-M leader demands probe into school result leak

West Bengal's Leader of Opposition and Communist Party of
India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Surya Kanta Mishra on Saturday demanded
that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee order a probe into the alleged
leak of state higher secondary exam results and their telecast by a
television channel much before the official declaration.

"The leaking of the results before the official declaration is
unprecedented and very serious. It is a matter of grave concern for
the students and equally for their parents. For a congenial
educational environment and for the sake of students, your prompt
intervention is needed so as to ensure that those found guilty are
punished," Mishra said in a letter to Banerjee.

Mishra said Education Minister Rabindranath Bhattacharya has ruled out
any investigation into the matter.

Bhattacharjee on Saturday had denied that there was any "leakage" of
the results and maintained that no probe was hence required.

Asked to comment on the issue, the chief minister hit out at the Left.

"Earlier a CPI-M affiliated TV channel had telecast the Madhyamik
(secondary) examination results well ahead of the official
declaration. You now tell me why that had happened. I cannot interfere
in the matters of the media. How am I supposed to interfere with what
news the channels carry or the papers publish?

"When they (CPI-M) do it that is ok but when others do the same it
becomes immoral? Why I should order a probe? It is a democratic
system. The media will decide for itself what they want to publish;
the government has nothing to do with their business," added Banerjee,
seemingly ruling out any inquiry into the matter. IANS