Politics
Mamata Banerjee Rejects SC Verdict: Vows to Fight for 25,000 Axed Teachers
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has openly rejected the Supreme Court’s verdict invalidating the appointments of 25,000 school teachers, calling it “unacceptable” and vowing to explore “all legal options.” The ruling, which found irregularities in the 2016 recruitment process, has sparked protests across Kolkata.
📜 What Did the Supreme Court Rule?
Key Judgment Points
- Appointments Nixed: 25,753 teachers and staff from 2016-17—gone.
- Reason: “Systemic fraud” in the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) process—manipulation tanked its legitimacy.
- Next Step: Fresh recruitment ordered within 3 months—not 6—per April 2 bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar.
Mamata’s Fiery Pushback
- “Judges in Delhi can’t grasp Bengal’s classroom reality,” she fired off at a Kolkata presser.
- “These teachers worked 8 years—will the court hire them back?”
- Called an all-party huddle for April 7 at Netaji Indoor Stadium to plot the fight.
Why This Is Explosive
- Political Heat:
- BJP Pounces: “TMC’s scam empire’s crumbling,” says state chief Sukanta Majumdar, demanding Mamata’s resignation.
- Poll Stakes: 25,000 families—over 1 lakh voters—could sway 2026 assembly races.
- Human Toll:
- Teachers: Jobs yanked, no pay ahead—some face loan defaults.
- Students: Mid-year gaps loom—1,600 schools hit, per early counts.
- Parents: On the streets, begging for their kids’ teachers to stay.
- Legal Flashpoint:
- 2016 Mess: Over 23 lakh candidates vied for 24,640 slots—25,753 got letters amid cash-for-jobs allegations; ex-minister Partha Chatterjee’s still jailed.
- SC Line: “Fraud voids merit”—no wiggle room, but non-tainted don’t repay salaries.
What Happens Next?
Mamata’s 3-Pronged Plan
- Review Petition: TMC lawyers are scrambling—30-day window’s ticking.
- Street Heat: Rally set for April 7—expect Kolkata to clog with TMC flags.
- Band-Aid Fix: Floating contract extensions to keep teachers afloat—legality’s murky.
Teachers’ Bind
- Age Crunch: Many now over 30—re-exam rules could lock them out.
- Cash Strapped: “I borrowed ₹5 lakh for this job—now what?” says Ankita S., 32, from Howrah.
National Ripples
- Other States: Bihar and UP eyeballing their own teacher hiring—fraud’s a hot potato.
- Court Muscle: SC’s April 2 vibe—“no political meddling”—puts CMs on notice.
