KOLKATA: After an hour-long meeting with national general secretary of Trinamool Congress (TMC) Abhishek Banerjee on Friday at his Camac Street office, the agitating SSC candidates — who were reportedly contemplating to withdraw the protest — claimed that the former had assured them of justice and would try his best to provide jobs to all those whose names had appeared on the 2016 merit list.
"Sir (Abhishek Banerjee) is extremely humane and compassionate. The meeting ended on a positive note. He is sympathetic towards us. He would put in his 100 per cent to ensure that all those whose names had been on the merit list in 2016 and were empanelled to fill up the vacancies for teachers for classes 9 to 12 get jobs. He will try hard so that no one is deprived," said Sahidullah, leader of the agitating SSC candidates.
"There are legal and administrative issues and he has assured us to address them. We know that the matter cannot be solved in one meeting," he added, stating that the candidates had full faith in Abhishek.
State Education minister Bratya Basu and Kunal Ghosh, the state general secretary of Trinamool, were also present.
It was decided that the representatives will meet Bratya Basu and the SSC Chairman on August 8 at Basu's office. As per reports, Basu had dialed the SSC Chairman from the meeting to understand the administrative and legal issues involved.
Abhishek had a telephonic conversation with Sahidullah on Thursday and had told him that he would like to talk to them.
Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had met the agitating students.
The recruitment of teachers from the primary level up to classes IX and X has been stopped for the past few years due to court cases. Recently, Mamata Banerjee had said that she was sympathetic towards the SSC candidates, who were agitating, but nothing could be done due to the court cases.
Calcutta High Court had ordered investigation by the ED and the CBI into the alleged irregularities in the appointment of teachers. Manick Bhattacharya, Chairman of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education, was removed from his post along with Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay, president, West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and investigation was going on against both of them.
The ED had recovered huge cash from Arpita Mukherjee's residence, who is believed to be a close aide of former Education minister Partha Chatterjee, and alleged that the money was generated by giving jobs of teachers against huge payment.