Lagatar24 Desk
Kolkata: Days after the Supreme Court upheld the cancellation of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching posts recruited through the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016, affected teachers lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of offering nothing more than symbolic reassurances.
Following a meeting with the Chief Minister, the dismissed teachers said the West Bengal government must be held accountable for the alleged corruption. Suman Biswas, one of the terminated teachers, said, “The CM, her cabinet, and the commission are all involved in corruption. Bribes were taken for jobs. Today, she offered us a ‘lollipop’, promising voluntary jobs to 25,000 and said she would ‘look into the matter’.”
He further added, “This is the Bengal of Khudiram, and we know how to fight. The job is our right. The CM must publish the names of those who are clean and file a review petition in the Supreme Court. We are ready for a mass movement.”
Another teacher, Meenakshi Singh, expressed her frustration, saying she was unfairly labeled ineligible. “I have every document and went through every process. I am not ineligible. This stain on our credibility is unacceptable. We didn’t bribe anyone. Now they’re offering us social service? What about our families and future? We can’t mentally go through another re-exam.”
Earlier, Mamata Banerjee had assured the dismissed educators that her government would stand by them. During Monday’s meeting, she said the state would ensure eligible candidates continued employment without service interruption and promised alternative arrangements within two months.
“There is a conspiracy to destroy the education system. Many of these teachers are gold medalists, and now they’re being called incompetent. Who gave anyone the right to tarnish their reputation?” Banerjee said during the meeting.
She also questioned the Supreme Court’s decision, suggesting it lacked clarity. “The SC hasn’t provided the list of eligible candidates yet. I may be jailed for saying this, but I cannot accept the verdict in a positive light,” she remarked.
Banerjee reiterated her lifelong commitment to safeguarding employment opportunities for qualified individuals, stressing that it is the government’s duty to protect deserving citizens.
On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s ruling that annulled the recruitment process for teaching and non-teaching posts, citing fraud and manipulation in the 2016 SSC selection procedure.
