Mamata Banerjee Questions Possible Manipulation Behind Supreme Court Ruling on Bengal School Jobs
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Synopsis
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised suspicions about a potential manipulation linked to the Supreme Court's ruling that invalidated 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs in West Bengal's state-run schools, urging the court for clarity on the status of affected candidates.
Key Takeaways
- Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee questions potential manipulation behind Supreme Court ruling.
- The ruling cancels 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs in West Bengal.
- Banerjee demands clarity on genuine vs. tainted candidates.
- State government to seek further clarification from the Supreme Court.
- A legal panel will advocate for affected teachers' rights.
Kolkata, April 7 (NationPress) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raised concerns on Monday regarding a potential “manipulation” behind the recent Supreme Court ruling that annulled all 25,753 teaching and non-teaching positions within state-run schools.
The Supreme Court, on April 3, affirmed a Calcutta High Court decision to terminate the appointments made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016, tied to a jobs-for-cash scandal.
“Is there some kind of manipulation behind the ruling? Who orchestrated this from the shadows?” the Chief Minister inquired while addressing a gathering of those affected at Netaji Indoor Stadium in central Kolkata on Monday afternoon.
She pointed out that the Supreme Court has not yet clarified which candidates are “genuine” and which are “tainted”.
“I urge the Supreme Court to provide clarity on this matter. For the sake of humanity, we request the apex court to furnish the state government with two lists of ‘genuine’ and ‘tainted’ candidates,” the Chief Minister remarked.
Additionally, she mentioned that the state government would seek further information from the Supreme Court regarding the status of current teachers until a new recruitment process commences through examinations.
“First, we need to resolve the situation of the ‘genuine’ candidates. Only then will we scrutinize the evidence against the so-called ‘tainted’ candidates,” she stated.
She encouraged the ‘genuine’ teachers to continue their voluntary service.
“Have you received termination letters yet? Keep serving. Anyone is welcome to provide voluntary service,” she asserted.
Furthermore, she announced the formation of a panel of top legal experts who will advocate for the matter at the next level on behalf of the state government.
“It is the responsibility of the state government to safeguard the employment of those who were in service. We will take all necessary legal actions,” the Chief Minister emphasized.
During her speech, the Chief Minister also alleged that a deliberate scheme is underway in West Bengal to undermine the education system.
She specifically targeted CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member and Calcutta High Court senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, accusing him of being a key player responsible for the current uncertainty surrounding numerous jobs.
“Why did Bikas Bhattacharya initiate legal proceedings? A dirty game has been in motion since 2022,” the Chief Minister concluded.
