West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with teachers who lost their jobs after the Supreme Court’s decision. She extended her support to the sacked teachers. Mamata said that there is a conspiracy going on to destroy the education system. She alleged that there is a game that is going on at the behest of those teachers. Hundreds of individuals gathered at Netaji Indoor Stadium to meet the CM. The Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court order to cancel the appointment of over 25,000 staff in Bengal schools by the School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016 on April 3.
CM Mamata Alleges Conspiracy
“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 medalists, 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,” Mamata said.
The West Bengal CM further added that the decision of the Supreme Court can’t be taken in a positive way. She added that the apex court has not yet provided the list of candidates who are eligible and those who have lost jobs.
“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,” stated the West Bengal CM.
Mamata reiterated that no deserving person is going to lose their job as long as she is alive. She further added that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure employment for those who are eligible and deserving.
WB Stands With Deserving Teachers
Meanwhile, TMC in an X post stated that Mamata Banerjee stands with teachers whose appointments have been unjustly cancelled. “Smt. @MamataOfficial stands with the deserving teachers whose appointments have been unjustly cancelled. We will fight to ensure that justice prevails!,” wrote TMC.
What Did Supreme Court Say?
Notably, on April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision. The ruling quashed the recruitment of more than 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016 for the state-run and aided schools.
The bench of Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar observed that there was large-scale manipulations and fraud in the selection process carried out by the WB SSC.
“In our opinion, this is a case wherein the entire selection process has been vitiated and tainted beyond resolution. Manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with the attempted cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair and partial redemption. The credibility and legitimacy of the selection are denuded”, state the apex its judgment.
The Supreme Court’s verdict came on petition filed by the West Bengal government. The petition challenged the Calcutta High Court’s order of April 2022. High Court’s order had cancelled the recruitment of more than 25,000 teachers and other staff for state-run and aided schools.
