Mamata Banerjee Rejects Supreme Court Verdict on Teachers’ Job Cancellation, Vows Support:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has publicly denounced the Supreme Court’s decision to annul nearly 26,000 school teacher appointments in the state, stating unequivocally that she does not accept the ruling.

Addressing the affected teachers at a gathering in Kolkata, Mamata said, “Please don’t consider that we have accepted it… I can even be jailed for saying this, but I don’t care.” She emphasized her government’s commitment to safeguarding the jobs of eligible candidates.

TMC Government to Explore All Legal Avenues

Although she acknowledged being bound by the Supreme Court order, Mamata Banerjee stressed that her administration would take every possible step to handle the matter “with care and fairness.”

“I will not allow eligible candidates to lose school jobs,” the TMC leader affirmed. She also dismissed allegations that her government was involved in any wrongdoing related to the appointments, stating that her name was being unfairly linked to the case.

Judiciary Respected, But Judgment Disputed

Mamata reiterated her respect for the judiciary, stating, “While I have the highest respect for the judiciary and judges, I cannot accept the judgment from a humanitarian point of view.”

She added, “As a citizen, I have the right to express my opinion. I respect the judiciary, but I can't agree with this verdict.”

Court Ruling and Political Fallout

The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, upheld an April 22, 2024, Calcutta High Court verdict that invalidated 25,753 appointments in state-run schools. The apex court also directed the West Bengal government to initiate a new, transparent recruitment process.

Mamata Banerjee revealed that her legal team is reviewing the ruling and did not shy away from addressing the political implications. “If the BJP wants to send me to jail for supporting these teachers, they can. Catch me if you can,” she said defiantly.