West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she can’t support the judgment of the Supreme Court which invalidated the jobs of nearly 25,000 teachers in the state. “As a citizen, I am saying I can’t support this judgement. I hope it is not distorted. The court says the appointments of these candidates are cancelled. However, those who are employed need not be asked to refund any payment made to them,” Mamata Banerjee said at a press conference.
The Supreme Court had upheld a Calcutta High Court’s decision to terminate the appointments of as many as over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016 in connection with the school jobs for cash scam. The court termed the selection process “vitiated and tainted”.
Banerjee questioned the blanket dismissal of all candidates, asserting that not all appointees were guilty of wrongdoing. “The ones whom you call tainted, we don’t have proof regarding them. Does the BJP government want to collapse the education system of Bengal? What happened in Vyapam? Fifty plus people were killed,” she said, drawing a comparison to the recruitment scam in Madhya Pradesh.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s directive, Banerjee noted that candidates who were not tainted could apply afresh. “Order states that candidates who are not tainted can appear for the fresh selection process. We will accept the judgement, and we will complete the process in three months. The SSC is an autonomous body, but we will ensure that it completes the reappointment process of teachers,” she said.
She also criticised the role of BJP and CPI(M), alleging political motives behind the order. “The judge who gave the first order in Calcutta High Court is now a BJP MP. I know that this was done by BJP and CPI(M). They will get an answer soon,” she said. Expressing concern over the emotional impact of the verdict on affected candidates, Banerjee urged them not to lose hope. “I am coming to know that some are getting depressed. If something happens to them, who will be responsible? Our lawyers will review this order,” she said.
Banerjee also announced that she would attend a gathering of the affected teachers on April 7. “To all the teachers, they wanted to conduct a sabha, and they asked if I can be present. On April 7, I will participate in their sabha and listen to them. I will tell them not to lose hope. You all can apply, and we will make sure that the process is completed as soon as possible.”