Bratya Basu, Education Minister of West Bengal, expressed surprise on Monday, May 19, at the prolonged sit-in by the Deserving Teachers Rights Forum, “despite the state government taking all possible steps within the parameters of law to save their jobs and ensuring that they continue to receive salary."
Around 1,000 protesters from the Deserving Teachers Rights Forum have been holding a sit-in since May 15, demanding reinstatement.
They further argue that they should not be required to take new recruitment tests because they passed the 2016 West Bengal School Service Commission examination and have been actively teaching since then.
The teachers are among the 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff whose appointments were annulled by the Supreme Court on April 3, citing "vitiated and tainted" recruitment practices.
Speaking to the media, Basu underlined his dismay at the protests' escalation, notably the May 15 blockade outside the gates of Bikash Bhavan, the state education headquarters, PTI reports.
"I cannot fathom why they did such things after the government sat with them on several occasions and took all legal steps, including moving the Supreme Court in consultation with senior advocates," Basu said.
He stressed that the state government had taken every possible step to support the affected teachers.
"We had sent their names to the offices of the District Inspector of Schools, and they have been receiving salaries. Many had returned to their workplaces. Now I don’t know why they have suddenly returned to agitation. We don’t want their service records to be affected — for their interest," he added.
Tensions rose on May 15, when at least 20 teachers and many police officers were hurt after police allegedly used force to separate agitators who had barged into Bikash Bhavan and held an eight-hour sit-in. Following the eviction, demonstrators proceeded to demonstrate on the neighbouring main road.
