Kolkata, April 4 : Iterating that it was “shocked and outraged” by the “vilification and gross personal insults” directed at the Aliah versity Vice-Chancellor Professor Mahammad Ali by some youths, led by a former student, the Jadavpur versity Teachers’ Association (JUTA) on Monday demanded exemplary p shment of all the culprits. Averring that the “dignity of teachers is under assault” in West Bengal, the JUTA called upon all right-thinking members of the society to come forward and tedly protest against the incident. “The way in which they threatened Professor Ali in his chamber, hurled the choicest abuses at him, and almost assaulted him physically is not only totally unacceptable but also needs to be condemned in the strongest possible manner,” JUTA Secretary Partha Pratim Ray said in a media statement here. Video grab of the April 1 incident which has gone viral showed the Vice-Chancellor seated calmly on his chair in his chamber with some youths, including an expelled student Giasuddin Mondal, abusing and threatening to slap him. Giasuddin was arrested on Sunday, two days after his threat to the VC sent shockwaves across the education fraternity. “The JUTA calls for an immediate investigation into the matter so that all the culprits can be identified and given exemplary p shment,” Ray said in the statement. In a reference to Mondal, the JUTA said, “It has emerged that the person leading the attack on the Vice-Chancellor is a former (or present?) student leader of the Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP). Moreover, it has been alleged that his actions had the tacit support of the ruling party in our state. This is extremely unfortunate and needs to be condemned,” the statement said. Claiming that “Insulting and abusing teachers” have seemingly become “part of the culture of those owing allegiance to the ruling party”, Ray said support from party leaders – overt or tacit – “only encourages such hooliganism”. “Most unfortunately, instead of being p shed, student leaders of the ruling party who insult and abuse teachers of versities and colleges are now being rewarded by being nominated to college governing bodies, further encouraging them to take the law into their own hands,” the JUTA said. “The dignity of teachers is under assault in our state, and unless we te to protest this tragic situation, dark days indeed are ahead for all of us,” Ray said, calling upon all right-thinking members of society to come forward and voice their protest, seek justice for those wronged and p shment for those indulging in such “heinous activities”. SSP BM