Mamata Banerjee Meets Axed School Staff After SC Scraps 25,000 Appointments in West Bengal

On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the cancellation of 25,752 appointments made during the 2016 West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment process.

The judgment confirmed the Calcutta High Court’s earlier decision to annul the appointments due to widespread irregularities.

BJP MP Flags CM’s Reaction as Threat to Constitution

BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, highlighting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s public remarks against the judiciary.

According to Mahato, the Chief Minister criticized the Supreme Court’s intent during a press conference held at the state secretariat.

“Instead of upholding the verdict of the Supreme Court, the Chief Minister chose to criticise the judiciary in a press conference held at the state secretariat, flanked by senior IAS officers. The visuals of this address, where the judiciary and even the Supreme Court’s intent were questioned, have shaken public confidence in constitutional governance,” he stated.

Mahato warned that Banerjee’s reaction sets a troubling precedent. “What has followed since this landmark judgment is deeply disturbing and concerning. The reaction of Mamata Banerjee, under whose regime this scam was orchestrated, has been nothing short of alarming,” he added.

Mahato Urges CJI to Investigate Use of State Resources

Mahato emphasized that the issue had moved beyond politics. He urged the Chief Justice to examine whether state funds and resources were being used to defend the accused.

He warned against “a dangerous precedent of judicial anarchy” if political leaders were allowed to target the judiciary without consequences.

“Investigate the use of state resources and funds to defend the accused in this large-scale scam. Ensure that those who have disrespected the court under the protection of political power face appropriate consequences under law,” Mahato urged.

Mamata Banerjee Stands by Sacked Teachers

In a meeting at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, Mamata Banerjee assured the dismissed teachers of her support. “Please don’t consider that we have accepted it. We are not stone-hearted, and I can even be jailed for saying this, but I don’t care,” she said.

Banerjee stated that her government would seek clarification from the Supreme Court and, if required, file a review petition to protect the jobs of eligible teachers.

Drawing comparisons to other national cases, she said, “The Supreme Court must clarify who is deserving and who is not. Give us the list. No one has the right to break the education system… Why is Bengal being targeted? We want to know. You are scared of Bengal’s talent.”

Recruitment Scam Origins and Legal Findings

The 2016 WBSSC recruitment drive received 23 lakh applications for 24,640 posts, but more appointment letters were issued than the available vacancies. Investigations uncovered evidence of tampered OMR sheets and manipulated candidate rankings.

The Supreme Court’s order emphasized that “manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with the attempted cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair.”

The bench, comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, added that the entire process had been “intentionally compromised.”

Court Highlights Destruction of OMR Sheets

The court found that the WBSSC had admitted to several irregularities: lower-ranked candidates being preferred, out-of-panel appointments, and manipulation of OMR scores.

The Commission had also destroyed the OMR sheets, which the court said had “no justification.”

“In spite of the factual background and the credible evidence indicating irregularities, WBSSC initially did try and cover up the lapses and illegalities,” the court noted.

“We are convinced that the entire selection process was intentionally compromised due to the illegalities involved.”

The bench ruled that while untainted candidates wouldn’t have to return their salaries, their appointments would still be terminated.

Banerjee Blames Opposition, Defends Her Government

Facing backlash, Banerjee accused opposition parties BJP and CPM of conspiring to destabilize her administration. “Don’t snatch jobs from teachers to target me. Remember, an injured tiger is more dangerous. It’s an attack on our government,” she said.

While stating that the court’s order must be respected, she asked the sacked teachers to continue working until they received formal termination letters.

“We have to accept the court’s order, seek clarification and file a review petition too. You have not received a termination letter, so you keep working,” she told the gathering.

Teachers Resist Re-Examination, Seek Legal Remedy

During the meeting, teachers expressed reluctance to sit for exams again. One teacher stated, “We will file a review petition and we will urge the West Bengal government and School Service Commission to file review petitions too.”

Banerjee assured them that they would not need to “beg” and that she would compensate them if they suffered during the review process. “Suffer for two months, you don’t have suffer for 20 years. And I will compensate for those two months too,” she said.