Kolkata, May 16 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Friday met the jobless teachers at their protest venue to extend support to them, while asserting that the party will not allow the assembly session scheduled next month to continue if there is no discussion on the issue.
The teachers, who had cleared the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) exam but lost their jobs after a Supreme Court order last month, were demonstrating outside Bikash Bhavan, the education department headquarters, demanding that the state government take legal steps to reinstate them in their services.
The apex court cancelled the 2016 recruitment process after finding large-scale irregularities, rendering over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff of state-run and -aided schools jobless.
Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition, said he and other leaders of the party will extend all support to the eligible teachers in their battle.
"Our state president Sukanta Majumdar will also turn up at your protest site in a day or two. I will stay with you for the entire night one day. We will not allow the assembly session slated to be held in June if the ruling party attempts to scuttle our bid to raise your issue in the House. You lost your jobs for no fault on your part. You paid price for the huge corruption by this state government," Adhikari said.
The BJP leader thanked the Deserving Teachers Right Forum for inviting him to their "apolitical battle" and asked everyone to put up a united fight, rising above narrow politics.
One of the forum members Chinmoy Mondal urged Adhikari to help them get an audience with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In reply, Adhikari said, "We came here at your invitation to offer our unconditional support. I am inviting you to meet me at the office of the leader of the opposition in the state assembly by Monday to discuss how we can offer you support."
Condemning the police action on the agitating teachers in Bikash Bhavan compound on Thursday night, he said, "Such a brutal action on teachers can happen only under the regime of the present chief minister whose acts are shameful for the state. She and her education minister express solidarity with the eligible teachers and promise them help on one hand, and let loose her police to baton charge teachers."
As the Forum members earlier met Education Minister Bratya Basu and went to Delhi to hold sit-in protests at Jantar Mantar, the BJP leader said the agitators cannot ride two boats at the same time.
Adhikari's presence at the rally was, however, resented by a section of Forum members.
"We don't welcome the presence of political leaders like Adhikari at our platform. Then what will we say about the demonstration against TMC leader Sabyasachi Dutta when he turned up at our protest venue yesterday? Yes, Dutta had misbehaved with the teachers. But we should not forget the past of Adhikari as well," a teacher not wishing to be named, said.
Adhikari, a former Trinamool Congress minister in the state, joined the BJP in 2020.
Senior TMC leader Joy Prakash Majumdar accused the BJP of indulging in politics with the issue.
"Our CM, education minister and the School Service Commission are working on the issue. Several talks had been held with the affected untainted teachers. Adhikari's attempt to fish in troubled waters will not succeed," he added.