Respect judiciary but Bengal school jobs verdict ‘gross injustice’: Mamata

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Mamata Banerjee on Thursday labelled the Calcutta High Court’s order of cancelling 25,000-odd school jobs as “gross injustice”.

She was addressing an election rally for the party candidate of the Midnapore Lok Sabha constituency.

“If someone has committed a mistake, it can be rectified, but snatching 25,000 jobs is a gross injustice,” Banerjee said.

She also wondered how the schools could function with so many teachers out of jobs. She also alleged that it was a deliberate attempt by the BJP to prevent these job losers from being deployed in poll duty. Banerjee also held a rally in East Midnapore’s Tamluk in support of her party candidate Debangshu Bhattacharya.

She clarified that she has respect for the judiciary but what has happened is injustice. “How will the schools function, if so many teachers are out of jobs? It is a ploy by the BJP. I have respect for the judiciary but what has happened is gross injustice. So many jobs have been taken away so that these job losers cannot be deployed in poll duty during elections and Central government employees can be engaged, who will work at the behest of the saffron camp,” she added.

The Calcutta High Court had earlier declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in government-sponsored and aided schools as “null and void,” ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.

Banerjee, while attending the election rally in favour of Tamluk candidate Debangshu, lashed out at Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari without taking his name. She held Adhikari responsible for teaching the lesson of stealing to Trinamool Congress. Referring to Adhikari as “gaddar”, Banerjee said: “Gaddar is saying that Trinamool is a thief. You have taught Trinamool how to steal,” she said adding: “Trinamool does not know how to steal. It has not done any such activities. Some people like you have gone to BJP after their interests are over and now blaming Trinamool Congress.

During her election rally on Thursday, Banerjee also expressed her dismay at the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in seven phases over a period of three months, citing the unbearable conditions of electioneering in the scorching heat.

Speaking at the rally in support of Trinamool Congress candidate June Malia, Banerjee questioned the rationale behind the prolonged polling schedule in West Bengal as compared to other states.

Drawing a comparison with Tamil Nadu, Banerjee said elections were conducted in a single phase despite having only two Lok Sabha seats less than Bengal. She alleged that “disparity” occurred in the election schedules.

“Tamil Nadu, with 40 Lok Sabha seats, managed to complete its polling in a single day, contrasting sharply with the process in Bengal spanning over seven phases. I have never seen a Lok Sabha election being conducted over a span of three months. Tamil Nadu witnessed polling in one day,” She said. Banerjee also attacked the Central government, questioning the deployment of Central Forces in various states for election security.

She stated: “I want to ask the ECI that in which state has it deployed the maximum number of Central Forces for smooth conduct of elections. Why have you made such elaborate security arrangements in Bengal? Don’t you trust the people here?”

Banerjee said that conducting elections over three months was unprecedented.

“The air compressor of my helicopter hasn’t been working over the last 3-4 days. Moreover, the helicopter heats up quickly in this intense summer. So you can very well imagine how suffocating it might feel to travel in it for a campaign in this heatwave,” she said.