New group of 'eligible' jobless teachers urges Bengal govt to begin talks with it

Kolkata, May 20 (PTI) A number of "eligible" teachers who lost their jobs by a Supreme Court order have dissociated themselves from the agitating 'Deserving Teachers Rights Forum' and formed a new organisation.

'The West Bengal Untainted Teachers' Association' shot off a letter to Education Minister Bratya Basu demanding that they be included in future talks with the state to resolve the issue.

The appointments of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff of state-run and -aided schools were invalidated by the Supreme Court last month, which termed the recruitment process “vitiated and tainted”.

Those who lost their jobs have been on a dharna outside the education department headquarters Bikash Bhavan, demanding that the state government take measures so that they can get their jobs back permanently. They also refused to take part in a fresh recruitment exam as mandated by the top court. Spokesperson of the newly formed body, Mrinmoy Mondal, told PTI on Tuesday: "We were also at the Forum's demonstration on May 15, but we had not been present during the siege-in at evening hours and the subsequent violence." The protestors forcibly entered Bikash Bhavan on May 15, and allegedly stopped employees from going out. The police then baton charged them, injuring a few teachers.

"We strongly condemn the police action, but we have certain differences with the Forum about the way to carry forward the movement," Mondal said.

He said that they want to communicate their stand on the issue of differentiating between the tainted and untainted 2016 SSC recruitment test candidates to the education minister and SSC officials in future meetings.

"We want to be part of the process about how to abide by the court order without affecting the untainted candidates. We don't wish to slacken the process of filing review petitions (by the government) before the apex court by any distractions," Mondal said.

To a question, he said while they were not in favour of inviting any political party in the movement, "We would appreciate it if ordinary citizens, civil society organisation members and prominent people, shunning their political ideology, join us." Mondal claimed despite not being present during the clash between police and jobless teachers in Bikash Bhavan compound on May 15 evening, one of the members of newly formed 'West Bengal Untainted Teachers' Association' was named in the FIR by Bidhananagar Police on charges of destroying public property and preventing public servants from discharging their duties" which shows the vindictive attitude of the administration." These are unfortunate, Mondal said.

Hinting at earlier talks between the Forum and state on numrous occasions, he said, "One particular group of protestors have been holding talks with the government to solve the imbroglio. Their words have been heard by the administration during the meetings. But what about thousands of other eligible teachers whose jobs were invalidated? Our association will exert pressure on the state to prevent recurrence of the lathicharge incident. We will keep neutrality and fight for the rights of every eligible jobless teaching and non-teaching staff," Mondal said. PTI SUS NN