Bengal teachers who lost jobs to continue protesting outside SSC office

Over 2,000 teachers who lost their jobs as the result of a Supreme Court order continued their protest outside the office of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in Salt Lake overnight, demanding that it has to publish the list of candidates who were recruited on the basis of merit and those who got appointment by paying bribes.

These teachers were among nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were cancelled by the Supreme Court on April 3 due to "widespread irregularities" in the recruitment process, which was held in 2016.

"The WBSSC must be taught a lesson. We have stayed here under the open sky since last evening and will continue to be here until our demands are met," said one of the protesters.

Following a meeting with some of the teachers who lost their jobs, state Education Minister Bratya Basu had said that the list of "deserving and undeserving" candidates would be published in two weeks.

The teachers were expecting that the WBSSC would publish the list on Monday evening, but when it didn't even after another round of meeting with their representatives, the sit-in began outside its office.

WBSSC chairman Siddhartha Majumdar, who stayed the night in his office, said in a statement that the Supreme Court's April 3 directive would be followed.

"In respect of the 2016 teacher recruitment matter, it is made clear that SSC will abide by the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court," he said.

"It is informed by the department that the salary of teachers who have rendered services will be disbursed according to the existing system," he added, with no mention of the list.

Meanwhile, Basu urged the agitating teachers to wait till the state government files a review petition with the Supreme Court.

He said late on Monday that legal experts have advised against publishing such a list as it will fail legal scrutiny.

"Please wait for the government to file a review petition with the Supreme Court. We have to follow the guidelines," he said.

He urged the teachers to return home, claiming that some people were trying to capitalise on their sufferings.

The minister said the deserving teachers will continue to get their salaries till the end of this academic session on December 31, as per SC directions.

BJP MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay alleged Basu was attempting to misguide the teachers.

"What the candidates are demanding is transparency in the recruitment process. Differentiating tainted and untainted candidates will not invite any contempt of court charge. I call upon the teachers not to leave the path of peaceful agitation till they get justice," he said.

The West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front, which led the protests over the RG Kar hospital rape and murder last year, have extended support to the protesting teachers.