‘Job-eater BJP’, says Mamata after court scraps recruitment

Mamata Banerjee criticizes BJP as a "job-eater" for causing loss of 26,000 teaching jobs in West Bengal.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday, April 27, 2024, dubbed it a “job-eater” and said the people of West Bengal would not forgive its leaders for “conspiring to snatch” the livelihood of nearly 26,000 teachers.

Addressing an election rally in support of TMC’s Ghatal candidate Dev, Ms. Banerjee also attacked the CPI(M) and Congress in the same breath, calling the two parties “eyes and ears” of the BJP in the State.

“You have heard about man-eater tigers, but have you heard about the job-eater BJP? Did you see the glee on the face of the leaders of the BJP, the CPI(M) and the Congress after so many people were rendered jobless by the court?” she asked the people at the rally.

“I don’t want to comment on the judgment or say anything about the judges. But after taking away the jobs of 26,000 youths, you are asking them to return the salary along with 12% interest. Can you take jobs like that? Give them a chance to rectify. How can 26,000 people be treated in such a way?” she asked.

The Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered the cancellation of appointments of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made through the recruitment process of State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in State-run schools, declaring the selection process as “null and void”.

Ms. Banerjee said the “conspiracy” was evident from the reactions of the leaders of the BJP, the CPI(M) and the Congress after the court gave its verdict.

“The people of West Bengal will not forgive these parties for their roles. They also filed PILs in the court and stalled any new initiative by the State government to fix the anomalies,” she said.