Kolkata, India: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed firm support for a group of school teachers whose appointments were recently annulled following a Supreme Court verdict. Speaking at a gathering at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Banerjee assured that no “eligible candidate” would be rendered jobless, even if it meant personal repercussions.
“I can even be jailed for saying this, but I don’t care,” she declared, affirming her commitment to stand by the affected educators.
Supreme Court Verdict on SSC Recruitment Irregularities
On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld a Calcutta High Court ruling that canceled 25,752 teaching and non-teaching appointments made through the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment process. The decision was based on findings of tampered OMR sheets and manipulated merit lists.
The original recruitment had received nearly 23 lakh applications for 24,640 sanctioned posts. However, more appointment letters were issued than there were approved vacancies, leading to widespread allegations of corruption and procedural fraud.
“Not All Were Corrupt”: Banerjee Distances Herself
While acknowledging the court’s concerns, Banerjee emphasized that not every recruit was involved in malpractice. “Please don’t think we have accepted this silently. We are not stone-hearted. We have a plan to ensure that eligible candidates don’t suffer a break in service,” she stated.
She also sought to disassociate herself from the alleged scam, saying, “My name is being dragged into something I have no inkling about.”
A Symbolic Show of Support
The Chief Minister was joined on stage by Education Minister Bratya Basu and 20 teachers selected from a core group she had personally formed. This was widely viewed as a gesture of solidarity with those affected by the verdict.
Opposition Criticism and Protests
Banerjee’s stance drew strong criticism from the Opposition, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari led a protest march to Banerjee’s Kalighat residence, accusing her of bias. “She is acting as the TMC leader, not as the Chief Minister of the state. If she truly represented the people, she would have met all dismissed teachers, not just a handful,” he remarked.
In the state assembly, Adhikari and several BJP MLAs staged a sit-in protest, holding placards that read “Mamata Chor” (Mamata is a thief).
Voices of the Affected Teachers
Outside the stadium, many dismissed teachers shared their frustration and despair. “We are victims of a system we had no hand in manipulating,” said Yasmin Parveen, a former teacher. “We don’t want sympathy or charity—just our jobs back.”
A Deepening Political Crisis
The 2016 SSC recruitment scandal has become one of the most significant political and legal controversies in recent West Bengal history. With thousands now facing unemployment, the issue has further fueled tensions in the state’s already volatile political landscape.
