WB job scam: 'Judge under cash cloud is merely shifted, but teachers... ,' says Mamata Banerjee

KOLKATA: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee refused to accept SC's ruling Thursday that upheld the cancellation of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching jobs due to fraud in the state's school recruitment process. She said transferring the affected staff would have been a more just solution.

"I have a question here. If the only consequence after crores are recovered from a judge's house is a transfer, they could have just transferred these 25,000 brothers and sisters as well," she said, referring to a recent controversy.

"We have no complaint against any judge. But, as a citizen, I have every right to say - with respect to the judiciary - that I cannot accept the judgment," Banerjee said. "We cannot criticise a judge, but we can express our views on humanitarian grounds."

She accused BJP and CPM of trying to destabilise Bengal's education system and questioned why other recruitment scandals, such as MP's Vyapam scam, had not faced similar consequences. "Over 11,000 of these teachers were teaching students of classes IX and X and 5,596 of them were teaching classes XI and XII... Many have been checking Madhyamik and higher secondary answer scripts," Banerjee said. "Who will now teach these kids? Is BJP-CPM trying to trigger a collapse of the state's education system?"

SC upheld an earlier Calcutta HC order cancelling the appointments made by state's School Service Commission between 2016 and 2021, citing irregularities in the hiring process. The "bribe-for-jobs" controversy had led to the 2022 arrest of former state education minister Partha Chatterjee , who was charged by ED with money laundering. Authorities seized more than Rs 49 crore in cash from two flats of Chatterjee's aide, actor-producer Arpita Mukherjee.

"The former education minister has been in jail for years. How many times must there be punishment for same crime? How many people will be punished for a single person's crime?" Banerjee said.

She also took aim at former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who had ruled against the recruitment process in 2022 before resigning to join BJP and winning the Tamluk seat. "Calcutta HC verdict was first given by (someone who is now) a BJP MP. It is some Ganguly, Danguly, I do not know his name," she said.

The CM announced plans to meet affected teachers to explore legal options. She sought to reassure them, urging patience & vowing state support.

Banerjee said Bengal would implement SC's ruling and complete fresh recruitment within three months, as directed. However, she stressed that those removed from their positions would not be required to return salaries.