Amit Shah, Mamata Banerjee spar over West Bengal jobs termination

Calcutta High Court terminates 25,753 jobs in State-run schools, sparking political controversy in West Bengal.

A day after Calcutta High Court terminated about 25,753 jobs of teachers and non-teaching staff in State-run schools on account of illegality in the appointment, Union Home Minister Amit Shah raised the issue during the election campaign in West Bengal.

Speaking at a public meeting at Karandighi in Uttar Dinajpur, the Home Minister said that the Calcutta High Court suspended 25,000 jobs on Monday because the Trinamool Congress leaders were taking bribes of ₹15 lakh for the positions.

“Do you have ₹15 lakh so that your family members can get jobs? If you don’t have so much money then how will you get jobs? From Trinamool former Minister Partha Chatterjee’s residence ₹51 crore in cash was recovered. I have come to ask whether the cut money and the corruption in the jobs should stop or not,” Mr. Shah said. The BJP leader also added that BJP will end corruption and cut money in the State.

Former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in June 2023 was suspended by the Trinamool Congress from all posts of the party and the government.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shah,s who also participated in a road show at Malda along with the public meeting at Karandighi, set the target of 35 seats for the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal. The BJP had won 18 out of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the State in 2019. “If the BJP wins 35 seats in West Bengal, the State will be free from infiltration,” Mr. Shah said, accusing that infiltration has continued unabated in West Bengal under the Trinamool regime.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who also campaigned for her party candidates in south Bengal said jobs have been terminated at the instruction of the BJP. “Based on BJP’s directions, over 25,000 people have been asked to return their salaries of the past eight years along with interest. How is this possible? They got jobs in 2016 but this development took place during 2024 polls,” Ms. Banerjee said.

The Chief Minister who said her government would approach the Supreme Court against the High Court order alleged that it was an “excuse of legality to cancel the recruitment done by us”.