Teachers who lost their jobs following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment of 2016 expressed anger after meeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing the state government of offering only a symbolic gesture and evading accountability.
Suman Biswas, one of the affected teachers, alleged that the recruitment scandal was rooted in widespread corruption.
“The state government should be held responsible. The CM, her cabinet, and the commission are all involved in corruption. Bribes have been taken in exchange for jobs, and hence, she gave a ‘lollipop’ today, saying that the government will provide ‘voluntarily’ jobs to 25,000 and will look into the matter,” he said. “I appeal to the people of the country to look into what is going on in West Bengal.”
Biswas also warned of a mass protest if justice was not delivered.
“This is the Bengal of Khudiram, and we know how to fight against the government and Mamata Banerjee. The job is our right. The CM should publish the names of those employees who are clean and file a review petition in the Supreme Court. We are ready to have a big movement,” he added.
Another teacher, Meenakshi Singh, insisted she had followed the proper recruitment procedure and was wrongly labelled ineligible.
“I have all my documents. I have gone through every process. I am not ineligible. They have taken away our jobs by putting a stain on me that I am ineligible. They need to prove it,” she said. “We haven’t given anyone money for any job. Today, they (state govt) are giving us a ‘lollipop’. Why will we do the social service? What will happen to our future? We have a family and kids. We are not in a mental state to appear for a re-exam.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who met the ousted teachers earlier in the day, described the situation as part of a larger conspiracy to undermine the education system in the state.
“There is a conspiracy going on to destroy the education system. Teachers of classes 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th are the gateways to higher education... Many (teachers) are gold medallists, they have achieved great results in their lives, and you are calling them thieves. You are calling them incompetent, who gave you this right? Who is playing this game,” she asked.
Banerjee also raised concerns about the judiciary’s verdict. “The decision that has come cannot be taken in a positive way. For what I am saying, I may be put in jail but I don't care about that. The Supreme Court has not yet given the list of those who are eligible and have lost their jobs,” she said.
“As long as I am alive, I am not going to let any deserving person lose their job,” she asserted. Banerjee added that it was the government's responsibility to ensure employment for those who were eligible.
On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s earlier decision to cancel the recruitment of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching personnel by the West Bengal SSC in 2016.
The top court cited irregularities in the selection process and upheld the High Court's order to scrap the appointments.
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