'Won't allow any eligible candidate to lose their job': Mamata Banerjee's big promise after SC verdict on 25k appointments

Days after decrying the Supreme Court's verdict on the appointment of 25,000 government school teachers in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday assured the affected candidates that she stands by all those who have lost their jobs in schools in the state. 

Her assurance came at a meeting with the affected teachers on the recent verdict by the top court. "I stand by those who lost jobs in schools in Bengal, will do everything to restore their dignity," Banerjee was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

She further said that she wouldn't allow any eligible candidate to lose their job. "I will not allow eligible candidates to lose schools jobs."

On April 3, the Supreme Court in its verdict said that there were large-scale irregularities and fraud in the recruitment process for teachers in West Bengal's government schools. Following this, over 25,000 school teachers were dismissed.  

The top court said annulled the appointment of 25,753 teachers and staffers in the state-run and state-aided schools in the state.

The bench, chaired by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, said that despite the inconvenience caused to untainted candidates, when a broad and deep manipulation in the selection process is proven, due weightage has to be given to the maintaining the purity of the selection process. 

Making her stand all the more poignant, Banerjee said that she is even ready to go to jail for standing with those who have lost their jobs. "[I am] ready to even go to jail if anyone wants to penalise me for standing with those who lost school jobs."

Furthermore, she mentioned that while she is bound by the apex court's verdict on school jobs, proactive measures are being taken to ensure that the situation is handled with utmost care and fairness. 

Banerjee noted the state government has plans to ensure that eligible candidates do not become jobless or have a break in their service. Speaking of discrepancies in Bengal school job appointments, she said: "My name being dragged into something about which I have no inkling."