What Are the TMC Leaders Saying About Police Action Against Teachers?

Kolkata, May 17 (NationPress) On Saturday, two influential leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) provided differing viewpoints regarding the police response to protesting teachers who had conducted a "gherao" at the state education department's headquarters in Kolkata on Thursday night.

The teachers, often referred to as "untainted" or "genuine," found themselves unemployed due to a Supreme Court ruling issued last month.

West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay called for a more compassionate handling of such incidents, while Urban Development Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim accused the demonstrators of engaging in theatrics for media exposure.

In a statement to the press, Bandopadhyay remarked: "The way the protesting teachers attempted to breach the education headquarters by forcefully breaking locks and gates is indisputably unacceptable. However, the police should have responded with greater sensitivity."

Conversely, Hakim claimed that the protest was primarily aimed at garnering publicity. "These demonstrators are merely seeking media attention. Our Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, supports them. The issue can be resolved if they trust her. While some have done so, others persist with their protests. However, the Supreme Court's judgment cannot be changed by demonstrations," he stated.

On Thursday night, law enforcement utilized batons to disperse the teachers gathered outside Bikash Bhavan, the state education department's headquarters. Reports indicate that several teachers sustained serious injuries. Nevertheless, senior police officials justified their actions, describing them as a "mild response" necessary due to escalating tensions.

The Opposition Leader in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, condemned the police actions and pledged that his party would vigorously address the issue during the forthcoming monsoon session of the state assembly, set to commence on June 9.

The protests arose from a Supreme Court ruling on April 3, where a bench led by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld a prior Calcutta High Court decision that annulled the recruitment of 25,753 teachers in government-aided schools across West Bengal.

The apex court concurred with the High Court's assessment that the entire panel needed to be dissolved due to the state government's and the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) failure to distinguish "untainted" candidates from those whose appointments were irregular.

Since then, the state government and WBSSC have submitted review petitions to the Supreme Court, requesting a reassessment of the ruling.