New Delhi: Tensions flare high in West Bengal following Supreme Court’s verdict to uphold the decision of the Calcutta High Court that invalidated the appointments of over 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff across state-run and aided schools. Following the verdict, opposition parties took to the streets on Monday in protest against the state’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, and demanding her resignation over the massive West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam.
BJP and Congress workers staged protests at multiple locations, accusing the Trinamool Congress-led government of deep-rooted corruption. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists and BJP leaders were detained by police near the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Guest House before they could proceed with their planned demonstration. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari went on the offensive, alleging, “Mamata Banerjee should be in jail. She’s the prime beneficiary. Her nephew took ₹700 crore in bribes.”
Congress, too, launched its protest outside the SSC office. Party leader Pradip Prasad highlighted the human cost of the court’s verdict, saying, “26,000 teachers have lost their jobs now. We demand the resignation of CM Mamata Banerjee.” The Supreme Court’s ruling, which came out on April 3, stated that the recruitment process that took place in 2016 was marred by widespread manipulation and irregularities.
It reaffirmed the High Court’s conclusion that the process lacked transparency and violated the principles of fair selection. Mamata Banerjee rejected the Supreme Court’s verdict as “illegal”, claiming that her state was being unfairly targeted. Drawing comparisons with the NEET exam controversy, she questioned the judiciary’s inconsistency and vowed to protect deserving teachers affected by the ruling. With over 23 lakh aspirants competing for just 24,640 posts in 2016, this case has turned into one of the largest education recruitment scandals in the state’s history.
