Assuring to protect the jobs of government teachers whose appointments were cancelled by the Supreme Court last week, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged them to return to their respective schools and “voluntarily” resume duties while her government sought legal recourse.
On April 3, the Supreme Court annulled the recruitment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staffers in West Bengal in 2016 over alleged irregularities in the appointment.
In an emotionally charged meeting with thousands of affected teachers at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, the chief minister pledged to fight for their jobs, saying, “I know how to fight challenges. This is not the court’s fault but of those who did politics with the teachers. As long as I am alive, I will not let anyone snatch the jobs of eligible candidates… Even if I have to go to jail, I will keep fighting to ensure that no deserving candidate is deprived of a job – this is my commitment,” she said.
“No one has received any termination letter yet. So, continue with your work. You all can always voluntarily go (to schools) and continue (teaching). If they say no, you cannot, then I can request the state Education Department. No genuine teacher will lose their job. The Supreme Court must clarify who are tainted and who are not,” the chief minister added.
The CM’s suggestion of voluntary service, however, evoked sharp reaction from the audience as several people objected to her proposal.
Responding to them, Banerjee said, “I am just trying to say in the court’s language. We are seeking a review of the Supreme Court judgment as there is no clarity on who can continue with the work.”
“I am also keeping future things in mind. What if the Supreme Court says that those who are in jobs can’t continue? Then what? Let good sense prevail… I will follow the SC verdict. If someone shuts the door, there are always options and gaps that we have to find a way out,” the TMC supremo said.
While affirming that her government was “bound by the Supreme Court ruling,” Banerjee emphasized the need to “explore all possible legal avenues to provide justice to those who have been affected”.
She also said that her government plans to “first seek clarification from the apex court” regarding the eligibility of the teachers.
“We have plans ready to ensure that the eligible candidates do not face any break in service. We will not allow them to remain jobless,” Banerjee said.
Notably, the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), which conducted the recruitment drive, on Monday moved a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking modification of its April 3 order, saying the “deserving” candidates should continue.
“The Supreme Court directed us to complete recruitment through a new process. But we have to first figure out who will run the schools after all the teachers lose their jobs,” the CM said, adding that the government’s legal team to take the matter in the Supreme Court would comprise prominent lawyers like Kapil Sibal, Kalyan Banerjee, Prashant Bhushan, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi.
Emphasizing that her government acted “swiftly” in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict, the CM told the teachers that she had a detailed meeting with the chief secretary (Manoj Pant, who was present at the meeting) within two and a half hours after the top court’s verdict.
The chief minister claimed that her name was being dragged into something about which she had “no inkling”, referring to discrepancies in the school job appointments. “I am ready to even go to jail if anyone wants to penalise me for standing with those who lost school jobs,” Banerjee asserted.
Without naming Opposition parties – the BJP and CPI(M) — she alleged a “conspiracy to destroy the education system of West Bengal” and questioned the basis for labeling all teachers as “corrupt, tainted and incompetent.”
“The Supreme Court did not clarify who is tainted and who is genuine… One should figure out the real faces from the masks because many are now trying to mislead people with false information. There is a conspiracy to break the entire education system. A dirty game is being played by some people,” she said.
Stating that she was never vindictive against the erstwhile ruling CPI(M) appointees in schools despite the alleged “large-scale recruitment corruption” during the previous Left Front regime, Banerjee slammed the Left Front leaders for taking the matter to court.
“I have never knowingly taken a job away from anyone, not even from the CPI(M) because my slogan back then was ‘No Revenge, Only Change’. Yet, lawyers of the party like Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya moved court to ensure so many people lose jobs. He must answer,” she said.
She also drew a comparison with allegations against corruption in the NEET examination. “There were a lot of allegations against NEET, but it was not cancelled; only Bengal is being targeted. You cannot deny that you all fear Bengal’s talent,” Banerjee said.
After the meeting, late Monday night, the chief minister formed a task force led by Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to “monitor the legal process”. The task force will include the education secretary, lawyers, teachers’ representatives and other relevant persons.
“This task force will monitor the process that the chief minister has started through legal channels, so that there is no delay and work can be done quickly towards a solution. The chief minister has sincerely instructed the task force to expedite the work of resolving the problems of the endangered people,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh posted on X.