West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday voiced her strong disagreement with the Supreme Court’s verdict on the teachers’ recruitment case while affirming that her government will comply with the ruling and conduct a fresh selection process.
The apex court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel over 25,000 appointments of teachers and non-teaching staff, citing large-scale manipulation and fraud in the recruitment process.
Mamata Banerjee: ‘I Do Not Accept This Judgment Personally’
Shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision, Mamata Banerjee expressed her dissatisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing that she is speaking from a humanitarian perspective.
“As a citizen of this country, I have every right, and I cannot accept this judgment, with due respect to the judges. I am expressing my opinion from a humanitarian perspective. Don’t misinform or create confusion,” she told the media.
Despite her personal disagreement, Banerjee assured that her government has instructed the School Service Commission (SSC) to restart the recruitment process, ensuring compliance with the court order.
Supreme Court Verdict: ‘Selection Process Vitiated by Manipulation and Fraud’
The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, ruled that the entire recruitment process lacked credibility and was riddled with fraud. The court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s cancellation of the appointments, stating that it found no reason to intervene in the ruling.
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The judgment also acknowledged that even those recruited through legitimate means suffered due to the fraudulent process, highlighting the widespread implications of the issue.
Banerjee Accuses BJP and CPM of Conspiring Against Bengal
Reacting to the verdict, Mamata Banerjee questioned why thousands of people should be punished due to the fault of a few.
“It’s not just 25,000 candidates, their families are impacted too,” she said.
She further alleged that political motives influenced the case, directly blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) for conspiring to manipulate the outcome.
“The first judge to give this order is now a BJP MP. BJP and CPM have conspired to lead to this verdict,” she claimed.
Mamata Banerjee Questions Judiciary’s Handling of Corruption Cases
Drawing comparisons, Banerjee referred to a recent case involving Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, from whose residence a significant sum of money was reportedly recovered. She questioned why, in that case, the judge was only transferred, while thousands of teachers in Bengal were dismissed entirely.
“If you recover money from a sitting judge’s home, he is only transferred. Then why were these candidates not transferred?” she asked, hinting at a perceived bias in the handling of corruption cases.
Despite her strong objections, Banerjee confirmed that the West Bengal government will move forward with a fresh recruitment process as directed by the Supreme Court. The SSC has been tasked with ensuring a fair and transparent selection process to fill the vacated positions.
With thousands of affected candidates and their families now awaiting further clarity, the case continues to be a highly charged political and legal issue in West Bengal. The state government’s next steps will be crucial in addressing concerns over fairness and transparency in public sector recruitments.
