Return to work, leave tainted-untainted list to govt: Mamata to protesting teachers

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged protesting teachers who lost jobs following a Supreme Court ruling, to return to work, assuring them that her government will “protect” their salaries. Thousands of teachers on Tuesday continued their overnight protests outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) headquarters in Salt Lake. “You don’t need to worry about who is tainted and who is not. You only need to worry about whether you have your job and whether you are getting your salaries on time. The list to identify the tainted and untainted teachers remains with the government and the courts. “We assure that your jobs are safe for now and you will get your salaries. Please return to your schools and resume classes. I have spoken about this several times since last night. We are with you,” Banerjee said at an administrative programme in Midnapore.

The CM said a review petition for Group C and Group D staff, who have lost their jobs, will also be filed before the Supreme Court and “keep your faith in us till then”. Banerjee also warned the protesting teachers not to fall prey to those trying to provoke them. "Had I been in Kolkata, I could have solved the issue within seconds. Do not pay heed to those who are provoking you. Let the state government look after it," she said. Referring to “similar developments in Uttar Pradesh and Tripura”, Banerjee said, “People have lost jobs in those states in huge numbers and never got them back. Don’t let that happen here.” The agitators were among nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were invalidated by the apex court on April 3, citing “widespread irregularities” in the 2016 recruitment drive. Braving the scorching sun, the protesters numbering over 2,000 surrounded the WBSSC headquarters, denying entry and exit of officials, including its chairman Siddhartha Majumdar, who has been inside the building since last evening. The agitating teachers have been demanding that the commission publish the list of candidates who were recruited on the basis of merit, and those who got appointments by allegedly paying bribes.