BJP demands Mamata Banerjee’s resignation immediately.
He stated that the Calcutta High Court had advised the state government to pinpoint candidates who secured recruitment through fraudulent methods. The court’s recommendation emphasized identifying individuals who benefited from corruption in the hiring process. According to him, the directive urged authorities to take necessary steps against those recruited unlawfully. The High Court’s stance highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in government appointments. He reiterated that the court’s suggestion aimed at addressing corruption in recruitment and ensuring fairness.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday called for the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Calcutta High Court’s order, which invalidated the recruitment of approximately 26,000 teachers and non-teaching staff in the state’s education system.
Union Minister and West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar alleged that Banerjee could become the second Chief Minister, after Haryana’s O. P. Chautala, to be imprisoned for her involvement in the teacher recruitment scam. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also declared that if the party assumes power in the state, the law will take its full course against Banerjee.
Patra asserted that Banerjee had lost the moral authority to remain in office. He insisted that if she had even a shred of responsibility left, she should step down. He further predicted that her role in the scam would ultimately lead to her imprisonment. Majumdar acknowledged that out of the nearly 26,000 recruited individuals, around 20,000 were selected legitimately, while the rest benefitted from an illicit scheme allegedly orchestrated by leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Expressing concern for those who were recruited fairly but lost their jobs due to the court ruling, Majumdar urged the government to compensate them. He suggested that either the ruling party’s funds or the Chief Minister’s relief fund should be used to provide salaries to the deserving employees, as they and their families now face an uncertain future.
Patra remarked that the Supreme Court’s ruling had severely damaged Banerjee’s credibility and legitimacy as Chief Minister. He criticized her for stating that she could not accept the verdict on humanitarian grounds, arguing that such a statement warranted charges of contempt of court. He pointed out that the apex court had issued harsh criticisms against the state government in its judgment.
Drawing a parallel, Patra argued that had a lower court issued even a minor adverse remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc would have decried it as an attack on democracy. The BJP leader’s remarks underscored what he saw as hypocrisy within the opposition ranks.
Majumdar went a step further, suggesting that the entire state Cabinet should be held accountable and jailed for shielding those involved in corrupt recruitment practices. He accused the government of neglecting the interests of honest candidates while protecting those who gained their positions through illicit means.
The Calcutta High Court, according to Majumdar, had recommended that the state government identify those candidates who secured jobs through fraudulent means. However, he claimed that the state administration ignored this directive, leading to the termination of all recruited employees, including those who were genuinely qualified. He advised that the government should still explore legal avenues to restore the jobs of those who had been unfairly dismissed.
The Supreme Court, in its ruling on Thursday, strongly condemned the role of the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in the recruitment scandal. The court accused the WBSSC of deliberately concealing its errors and irregularities in the hiring of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff for state-run and state-aided schools. The ruling came from a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, who ultimately declared all the appointments null and void.
The controversy surrounding the recruitment process has been a longstanding issue in West Bengal. The Calcutta High Court had previously examined the matter and determined that large-scale irregularities had taken place in the hiring process, leading to the recruitment of ineligible candidates while depriving deserving ones of their rightful opportunities. The state government had been given a chance to rectify the situation by identifying those who had been fraudulently recruited, but it failed to take action.
With the Supreme Court upholding the High Court’s decision, the ruling has now dealt a significant blow to the state government, as thousands of candidates have lost their jobs. Many of these individuals, who had worked in their respective roles for years, are now facing an uncertain future. The BJP has used this development to intensify its attack on the TMC, blaming the ruling party for the widespread corruption that led to the crisis.
Sukanta Majumdar reiterated that the entire episode revealed deep-rooted corruption within the state administration. He maintained that the government should take responsibility for compensating those who were unfairly affected by the court ruling. He criticized the state leadership for failing to act decisively when it had the chance to weed out the undeserving recruits and protect the legitimate ones.
The opposition party has also questioned Banerjee’s response to the ruling. BJP leaders have pointed out that instead of accepting the Supreme Court’s decision and addressing the concerns of the affected candidates, she has chosen to challenge the verdict on so-called humanitarian grounds. Patra argued that this stance was nothing more than an attempt to shield those within her party who were complicit in the recruitment scam.
As the political fallout from the judgment continues to unfold, BJP leaders have made it clear that they will not allow the issue to fade away. They have pledged to keep the pressure on the TMC government, demanding accountability and justice for those who were denied fair employment opportunities due to corruption.
The Supreme Court’s ruling has sparked protests from affected individuals, many of whom have taken to the streets demanding justice. Some have expressed hope that the state government will find a way to restore their jobs, while others have accused the TMC of failing to uphold transparency in the recruitment process. The opposition is expected to use this issue as a key point of contention in the upcoming elections, presenting it as evidence of the ruling party’s misgovernance.
The BJP, sensing an opportunity to consolidate its support in West Bengal, has vowed to continue raising the issue at every possible forum. With the Supreme Court’s judgment lending credibility to their allegations, the party sees a strong chance to gain political traction against the TMC.
While Mamata Banerjee has remained defiant in the wake of the ruling, the pressure on her administration continues to mount. Whether her government takes corrective action to salvage the situation remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the BJP has made its stance clear: Banerjee should step down immediately, and those responsible for the scam should be held accountable under the full weight of the law.