SSC: Parties voice support for teachers who lost their jobs
Times of India | 5 April 2025
Kolkata: After a day of blame game, political parties in Bengal voiced their support on Friday for the 26,000-odd teachers who had lost their jobs following Thursday's Supreme Court order on the SSC case. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "The chief minister has already clarified that she will stand by the teachers in this hour of crisis. To crack this deadlock, she is discussing the matter with various lawyers. We urge the teachers and their family members to keep faith in the CM. "
While asking the jobless teachers to attend the April 7 meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday, Ghosh urged them not to lose hope and criticised BJP and CPM for attempting to "do politics" over the issue. "BJP and CPM are acting like a bunch of vultures indulged in the politics of snatching jobs. BJP is claiming if they come to power in 2026, they will sort the issue as CBI already has a demarcation between tainted and untainted teachers. Then why aren't they doing it now? Also, in CPM-governed Tripura, more than 10,000 people lost jobs for irregularities. When BJP came to office, did they get back their jobs?" he added.
Ghosh said TMC had never backed anyone arrested or accused of irregularities in the case. "Be it the former education minister or some senior officials, neither the party nor govt has made any efforts to save them or offer them legal help. The state govt has not appealed against these arrests or the investigation and has fully cooperated with the investigation. BJP and CPM are spreading falsehood," he said.
Former judge of Calcutta High Court and BJP MP from Tamluk, Abhijit Ganguly, who first advocated for the cancellation of the entire panel, said untainted teachers should file a review petition in Supreme Court. Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari said he spoke to many lawyers on the issue and urged the untainted teachers to appeal before Supreme Court with copies of their OMR sheets and seek reprieve. "Don't bow your head before anyone and rather appeal before the Supreme Court individually with a review plea," he said. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, while addressing a press conference in Delhi, said, "My suggestion to govt is to bring a change in the system. Those who have experience from 2016 to 2025 and will have to take the exam again should be given grace marks, taking note of their work experience. "
CPM's Sujan Chakraborty said: "Those who took money and were involved in the scam should be taken into custody and interrogated. It is necessary to question those who were given jobs in exchange for money. It is unacceptable that they roam freely while deserving professionals lose their jobs. "
Kolkata: After a day of blame game, political parties in Bengal voiced their support on Friday for the 26,000-odd teachers who had lost their jobs following Thursday's Supreme Court order on the SSC case. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, "The chief minister has already clarified that she will stand by the teachers in this hour of crisis. To crack this deadlock, she is discussing the matter with various lawyers. We urge the teachers and their family members to keep faith in the CM. "
While asking the jobless teachers to attend the April 7 meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday, Ghosh urged them not to lose hope and criticised BJP and CPM for attempting to "do politics" over the issue. "BJP and CPM are acting like a bunch of vultures indulged in the politics of snatching jobs. BJP is claiming if they come to power in 2026, they will sort the issue as CBI already has a demarcation between tainted and untainted teachers. Then why aren't they doing it now? Also, in CPM-governed Tripura, more than 10,000 people lost jobs for irregularities. When BJP came to office, did they get back their jobs?" he added.
Ghosh said TMC had never backed anyone arrested or accused of irregularities in the case. "Be it the former education minister or some senior officials, neither the party nor govt has made any efforts to save them or offer them legal help. The state govt has not appealed against these arrests or the investigation and has fully cooperated with the investigation. BJP and CPM are spreading falsehood," he said.
Former judge of Calcutta High Court and BJP MP from Tamluk, Abhijit Ganguly, who first advocated for the cancellation of the entire panel, said untainted teachers should file a review petition in Supreme Court. Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari said he spoke to many lawyers on the issue and urged the untainted teachers to appeal before Supreme Court with copies of their OMR sheets and seek reprieve. "Don't bow your head before anyone and rather appeal before the Supreme Court individually with a review plea," he said. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar, while addressing a press conference in Delhi, said, "My suggestion to govt is to bring a change in the system. Those who have experience from 2016 to 2025 and will have to take the exam again should be given grace marks, taking note of their work experience. "
CPM's Sujan Chakraborty said: "Those who took money and were involved in the scam should be taken into custody and interrogated. It is necessary to question those who were given jobs in exchange for money. It is unacceptable that they roam freely while deserving professionals lose their jobs. "