Teachers vow to continue protests until they are ‘officially reinstated’

Kolkata: Teachers who have been rendered jobless following a Supreme Court verdict and on an indefinite sit-in before the West Bengal School Service Commission headquarters, on Tuesday held a meeting with SSC Chairman Siddhartha Majumdar and described it as “partially satisfactory”.

A group of 10 teacher representatives met with the SSC chairman seeking clarification and vowed to continue protesting until they are officially reinstated as teachers on a permanent basis. They will approach both the Education minister and the WBBSE on Wednesday. “We are partially satisfied with the list of 17,206 teachers of whom 15,403 are eligible as confirmed by SSC,” spokesperson of the Deserving Teachers Forum Chinmoy Mondal told reporters after the meeting. “Tomorrow we will seek clarification from the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education on why those tainted among the 17,206 are not being sacked. Till our interests are protected we will neither go back from the road nor lift the gherao of the SSC

Chairman,” he said.

A parallel protest is underway at the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) office at Karunamoyee, where eight Group-C and D staff appointed through 2016 selection process are on hunger strike. Others are staging a sit-in outside, demanding the release of eligible candidates lists.

Meanwhile, WBSSC chairman Siddhartha Majumder, along with several officials and staff, remained confined inside the commission’s Acharya Sadan office for over 24 hours. Majumder stated: “If needed, I will remain here but halting SSC operations benefits no one.”

Families in Salt Lake’s EE and DL blocks opened their homes to protestors, providing meals, water and bathroom access. “I’m 78, but I couldn’t just sit at home. Our doors are open to them,” said Rina Dutta Majumdar, a resident. A protesting teacher shared how a resident provided food and bathroom access. with agency inputs