Will fight till my last breath: Mamata vows to protect sacked Bengal teachers

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday pledged to protect the rights of “eligible candidates” who lost their jobs after the Supreme Court verdict, and asserted that she would continue fighting for them as long as she is alive and even if it meant going to jail.

Speaking at a meeting with those who lost their jobs after the apex court verdict, Banerjee urged the affected teachers and staff to return to their respective schools and “voluntarily” resume duties.

“Even if I have to go to jail, I will keep fighting to ensure no deserving candidate is deprived of job – this is my promise, as long as I am alive,” she said in an emotionally charged message at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

Speaking at a packed gathering of affected teaching and non-teaching staffers, Banerjee said, “No one has received any termination letter yet. So continue with your work. You are free to offer voluntary service in the meantime.”

The Supreme Court on April 3 upheld a 2024 Calcutta High Court judgment annulling the recruitment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staffers appointed through the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment drive, terming the entire selection process “vitiated and tainted”.

Banerjee said the state administration would first seek “clarification” from the apex court, and if needed, file a review petition “to ensure the interests of eligible candidates are safeguarded”.

“If the clarification is not in our favour, we will make alternative arrangements within two months. No eligible candidate will be jobless. The government has not sent any termination letters. You can continue to teach voluntarily,” she said.

“Who will manage the schools now? Who will handle all the other tasks? If someone is not in a position to provide jobs, they shouldn't have the authority to take them away either,” the CM said.

Banerjee, however, said the state government respects the top court ruling.

“We are not here to disobey the Supreme Court. We will act strictly within the legal framework. But I must say, the administration wasn't given enough time to rectify the mistakes,” she said.

She also announced the formation of a legal team comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kapil Sibal, Rakesh Dwivedi, Kalyan Banerjee and Prashant Bhushan, who would represent the state and the affected candidates in court.

“We will explore all legal avenues, including seeking clarification and modification of the judgment. We are ready with plans A, B, C, D, and E,” the chief minister asserted and appealed to the aggrieved teachers to trust her government.

“Continue teaching and educating without worry. If you suffer for two months now, you won't have to suffer for the next 20 years,” she said.

Banerjee said the West Bengal government has plans ready to prevent any break in service for those who are eligible. “I will stand by those who lost their jobs in an unjust manner. I don't care what others think. I will do everything to restore your dignity.”

In a clear message to the opposition, Banerjee alleged that a “dirty game” was being played to destroy the state's education system.

“A dirty game is being played by some people. One should figure out the real faces behind the masks. Many are trying to mislead people with false information,” she said.

Without naming the party, Banerjee lashed out at senior advocate and CPI(M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya for initiating the legal proceedings that culminated in the Supreme Court verdict.

“I have never knowingly taken job away from anyone, not even from those associated with the CPI(M). My slogan back then was ‘No Revenge, Only Change'. Yet, lawyers of the CPI(M) like Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya moved court to ensure so many people lose jobs. He must answer. They do not have the power to give jobs, but are taking away jobs. Shame on them,” she said.

The chief minister also sought to distance herself from the alleged corruption in the recruitment process.

“My name is being dragged into something I had no inkling of. Since 2022, a dirty game has been going on. Mistakes may have happened, but if they have not been able to prove corruption against you, then nothing can stop you from teaching,” Banerjee said.

Several Trinamool Congress leaders, including former education minister Partha Chatterjee, and SSC and education department officials, have been arrested over the alleged scam.

Banerjee also outlined a two-phase plan to “restore the jobs” of those whose appointments were annulled by the top court.

“In the first phase, we will look into the details of the deserving candidates and take all steps necessary to give them back the jobs they have lost,” she said.

Banerjee also reached out to the “tainted teachers” and assured that, “Let the issue of eligible candidates be settled first. Then, I will personally look into the cases of those declared ‘ineligible'. If someone is truly proven to be ineligible, I won't be able to help them. But we need to verify who has declared them ineligible and on what basis.”

She added: “We are not hiding anything. We must find a path forward, even if the path seems blocked. I am ready to even go to jail if anyone wants to penalise me for standing with those who lost school jobs. I will fight this battle with all my might.”