Two Cases Filed by Kolkata Police Against Job-Losing Protesters
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Synopsis
Kolkata Police have filed two cases against teaching and non-teaching staff who protested job losses following a Supreme Court decision. The police employed force during the protests, drawing criticism from opposition parties regarding the state's handling of the situation.
Key Takeaways
- Kolkata Police filed two cases against job losers.
- Protests turned violent with police intervention.
- The Supreme Court annulled 25,753 job positions.
- Criticism arose from opposition parties regarding state insensitivity.
- The callousness of the administration was highlighted.
Kolkata, April 10 (NationPress) The Kolkata Police have initiated two legal cases against the teaching and non-teaching personnel who lost their positions following a Supreme Court ruling for staging protests.
On Wednesday, teachers faced severe violence from law enforcement as they protested against their job losses outside the district inspector of schools' office in Kasba, located in South Kolkata.
One of the cases was filed suo motu by the city police, while the other arose from a complaint lodged by the district inspector's office.
The affected individuals, identified as “genuine” candidates, rallied in front of the district inspector's office in Kasba, urging the state government and WBSSC to swiftly distinguish between “genuine” applicants and those with “tainted” backgrounds—who allegedly secured jobs through illicit payments.
Last week, the Supreme Court affirmed an earlier decision by a division bench of the Calcutta High Court from April 2024, which annulled a panel of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions, citing the state's failure to differentiate between “genuine” and “tainted” candidates.
The protests escalated on Wednesday as demonstrators attempted to breach police barricades and forcefully unlock the main gate at the district inspector's office.
The police responded with a lathi charge, leading to injuries among several protesters. However, state Education Minister Bratya Basu, the Chief Secretary, and the Kolkata Police Commissioner defended the police's actions, with the commissioner asserting that they were compelled to execute “mild action” to maintain order and prevent further damage.
As news broke of the two separate cases against the demonstrators, the state government faced harsh criticism from opposition factions.
Leaders from both the BJP and CPI(M) party have contended that this incident reveals the callous nature of the current state administration. At the time of this report, no Trinamool Congress leaders had commented on the issue.
