CM’s ‘Lakshmanrekha’ for SSC protests, ire over ‘outsider’ presence
Times of India | 20 May 2025
12 Kolkata: Those who had filed cases that led to SSC teachers losing their jobs were now instigating the jobless teachers, CM Mamata Banerjee said on Monday in her first reaction to the ongoing protest near Bikash Bhavan, while reminding the protesters that there should be a "Lakshmanrekha for every andolan".Banerjee, while slamming the presence of outsiders in the protest who "outnumbered" jobless teachers, admitted that she had a lot of sympathy for the jobless teachers and her administration would do everything legally possible to help them."I have a lot of sympathy for them. We want them to retain their jobs. But I cannot say I will not comply if the court orders something. We have to follow the law and there are some obligations. Everyone needs to understand this. We have filed a review petition. Our lawyers will try to ensure they retain their jobs. But we are compelled to abide by court orders," Banerjee said.The protesters should have trusted her administration, she added. "They should have trusted the state. I myself met them. We expect minimum courtesy and dignity from teachers. They should work for society and be beyond politics. They should teach students. Many of them continue working and we have no complaint against them. We have no complaint even against the protesters," Banerjee said, while urging them to fight it out legally instead of hitting the streets."We are all human. We love those who respect humanity. I am not against any andolan. But there is a Lakshmanrekha for every movement. I cannot stop anyone and no one can stop me as well. The protesters should fight the issue legally and we will help them. We are already fighting the case legally. We are not against them," she said.But she had a "grouse", she said. "There are more outsiders in the protest than teachers. A pregnant mother was not allowed to go home and was locked in for hours. A girl, who was an examinee, was not allowed to leave and she leapt out (from Bikash Bhavan) in fear," she said, adding: "I have another issue. Those who are provoking (the teachers) are the ones who filed cases against them. They should not have done this," Banerjee said, asking political parties: "Was it right for them to file a case in court?"No salary had been withheld till now, she added. "Even Group-C and Group-D workers, who cannot be paid, will get an allowance," she said.