Kolkata, April 9 (NationPress) Significant protests have emerged across various districts in West Bengal on Wednesday following the cancellation of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions in state-funded schools due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court (SC) that annulled the West Bengal School Service Commission’s (WBSSC) 2016 panel.

Dismissed employees gathered at various offices linked to the state Education Department, insisting on prompt action from the state administration and WBSSC to distinguish between the “genuine” candidates and the “tainted” ones who secured jobs through bribery.

In some areas, particularly at Kasba in South Kolkata, law enforcement had to implement a substantial lathi-charge to disperse the dismissed employees who congregated outside the district inspectors of schools' offices.

Last week, the SC reaffirmed a prior judgment from the Calcutta High Court, which annulled the panel of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs, mandating the state government and the commission to separate the “genuine” candidates from the “tainted” ones.

On Wednesday, the sacked employees gathered in front of the district inspector of schools' office at Kasba, where a substantial police force was deployed to deter the protesters from entering the premises.

The main entrance to the office building was secured with a lock, and barriers were set up in front of the office. However, after a while, the dismissed employees managed to dismantle the barricades, break the lock, and storm into the office.

This led to clashes between the police and the protesters, necessitating a significant police lathi-charge to disperse the crowd.

Some demonstrators sustained injuries amid the intense lathi-charge.

“We are genuine candidates. Thus, we are compelled to take to the streets while the state government is quelling our movement with force,” remarked an injured protester.

In Chinsurah within the Hooghly district, a faction of protesting employees marched to the district inspector of schools' office and, after demonstrating there for a while, locked the office from the outside.

A similar occurrence was reported in Siliguri in the Darjeeling district, where protesters also locked the office of the district inspector of schools.

Another group obstructed the busy G.T. Road in the Howrah district adjacent to Kolkata, leading to significant traffic delays.

As this report was being prepared, similar protests, clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators, and police lathi-charges were being reported from other districts such as Malda, South Dinajpur, East Midnapore, and West Midnapore, among others.