New Delhi [India], April 8 (ANI): Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and asked her to ensure that candidates selected through fair means are allowed to continue as school teachers in West Bengal.
In a letter dated April 7, Rahul Gandhi said that the delegation from the Shikshak Shikshika Adhikar Mancha asked him to write to President Murmu and sought her intervention in the matter of thousands of qualified school teachers in West Bengal who have lost their jobs following the judiciary’s cancellation of the teacher recruitment process.
“I hope this letter finds you well; I write to request your intervention in the case of thousands of qualified school teachers in West Bengal who have lost their jobs due to the judiciary’s cancellation of the teacher recruitment process. A delegation from the Shikshak Shikshika Adhikar Mancha (IX-X), a platform for affected teachers, apprised me of the matter and specifically requested that I write to you. A copy of their representation is attached,” Rahul Gandhi stated in the letter.
“The Calcutta High Court found serious irregularities in teacher recruitment and declared the entire process null and void. On April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court judgment. Since the verdict, the teachers, as well as staff who stand to be terminated, have almost given up hope of any redressal,” he added.
The LoP further said that both judgements found that some candidates were untainted- selected through fair means- and some were tainted- selected through unfair means.
“Both tainted and untainted teachers have lost their jobs. Any crime committed during recruitment should be condemned, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. However, treating teachers selected through fair means on par with tainted teachers is a serious injustice,” Rahul Gandhi said
He further said that the most untainted teachers have served for nearly a decade.
“Terminating them will force lakhs of students into classrooms without adequate teachers. Their arbitrary termination will destroy their morale and motivation to serve, and deprive their families of what is often the sole source of income. Madam, you have served as a teacher yourself. I am sure you understand the enormous human cost of this injustice-to the teachers, their families and their students. I request you to kindly consider their request favourably and urge the government to intervene in the matter to ensure that candidates selected through fair means are allowed to continue,” Rahul Gandhi said.
On Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee met with teachers who lost their jobs after the Supreme Court verdict and alleged that there is a “conspiracy” going on to destroy the education system.
“There is a conspiracy going on to destroy the education system. Teachers of classes 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th are the gateways to higher education…Many (teachers) are gold medalists, they have achieved great results in their lives, and you are calling them thieves. You are calling them incompetent. Who gave you this right? Who is playing this game?” Mamata Banerjee said.
She further said that as long as she is alive, she is not going to let any deserving person lose their job.
“The Supreme Court has not given the list of deserving and ineligible. The state government did not get the opportunity to separate this list. Abhishek Manu Singhvi had fought the case on behalf of the student and we had supported him. Now Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kapil Sibal, Kalyan Banerjee, Prashant Bhushan, and Rakesh Dwivedi have been asked to look into this matter on behalf of the state government,” she added.
Earlier, on April 3, the Supreme Court upheld the Calcutta High Court’s decision to quash the recruitment of more than 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff by the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) in 2016 for the state-run and aided schools.
The bench of Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar found that the selection process carried out by the West Bengal SSC was based on large-scale manipulations and fraud.
“In our opinion, this is a case wherein the entire selection process has been vitiated and tainted beyond resolution. Manipulations and frauds on a large scale, coupled with the attempted cover-up, have dented the selection process beyond repair and partial redemption. The credibility and legitimacy of the selection are denuded”, the apex court bench stated in its judgement.
The top court’s verdict came on a petition filed by the West Bengal government that challenged an April 2022 order of the Calcutta High Court which had cancelled the recruitment of more than 25,000 teachers and other staff for state-run and aided schools. The top court had reserved its verdict in the matter on February 10. (ANI)
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