CPI(M) offers support to aspirant teachers; relay fast enters

Left Front chairman Biman Bose and leaders of CPI(M)'s frontal organisations Saturday pledged support to the aspiring school teachers who are on relay hunger strike for 24 days demanding recruitment to vacant posts in state-run and state-aided institutes.

Bose, a senior CPI(M) leader, claimed that he came to the agitators at their venue here as a citizen and not as the leader of a political party and expressed solidarity with their demands.

"I fully agree to their claims that despite qualifying in the School Service Commission (SSC) written test in 2016, the deserving candidates have not been called for interview and there have been irregularities in the recruitment process," he said.

The SFI and DYFI, student and youth wings of the CPI(M) respectively, also took out a rally in the city in support of the SSC candidates.

SFI general secretary Srijon Bhattacharya said, "It is a matter of regret that the chief minister did not visit the agitating candidates in the past 24 days."
One of the agitators Pratap Roy Chowdhury claimed, "Some officials of the Kolkata Police showed us a letter sent by the Army to the police. In the letter, the Army said it apprehended violence if we continue with the protests at this venue. On that basis, the police want us to withdraw the agitation."
SFI leader Srijon Bhattacharya said, "We will come to the support of the agitators - if there is any move to forcibly stop the movement, or evict them."