Kolkata, 7 April 2025: West Bengal is embroiled in the storm of School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam these days. The recent decision of the Supreme Court took away the jobs of 25,752 teachers and non-teaching staff in one stroke, after which there has been an earthquake in the politics of the state. Meanwhile, opposition leader Shubhendu Adhikari has made explosive allegations attacking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He claims that Rs 700 crore was collected in this scam, out of which 80 percent reached Mamata’s “nephew”. On the other hand, Mamata Banerjee has met the affected candidates and promised to stand with them.

Mamata’s emotional appeal at Netaji Indoor Stadium

On Monday, Mamata Banerjee met hundreds of unemployed teachers at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata. Firmness and emotion were clearly visible in her voice. “I will not see any colour—red, blue or saffron. Put me in jail, but I will ensure that deserving people get their jobs back,” Mamata said. She expressed disagreement with the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it “unacceptable on humanitarian grounds”. Mamata also said that her government has appealed against the decision and will do everything possible to ensure that deserving candidates get justice.

But the meeting was not limited to just emotions. Mamata accepted the moral responsibility of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), saying, “We have never done anything wrong intentionally. If something went wrong, there should be an inquiry, but why punish deserving people?” Her words became a ray of hope for thousands of teachers who are caught in a vortex of uncertainty after losing their jobs.

Suvendu’s counter-attack: Corruption money in ‘nephew’s’ pocket

Just hours after Mamata’s address, state opposition leader and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari spewed fire at a press conference. Taking a direct dig at Mamata, he said, “Rs 700 crore was raised in this recruitment scam, and 80 per cent of it went into the pockets of ‘bhaipo’ (nephew).” Shubhendu indirectly attacked Mamata’s nephew and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, though he did not explicitly name him.

Suvendu further said, “The Chief Minister calls herself a lawyer. I tell her to take the list of eligible candidates to the Supreme Court on the day of hearing and demand restoration of their jobs. If she is unable to do so, 23 lakh brothers and sisters will have to face the test again.” He also claimed that if the BJP comes to power in the 2026 assembly elections, he will prepare a list of eligible candidates based on OMR sheets within a month and submit it to the Supreme Court. “We delivered justice in the 1984 Sikh riots after 40 years, we will do this too,” he said confidently.

Depth of the scam: CBI has OMR sheets
The scam came to light when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) began investigations in 2022. The investigation revealed that there was large-scale rigging in the 2016 recruitment process. Manipulation of OMR sheets, giving passing marks to blank answer sheets and giving jobs to ineligible candidates—these are some of the allegations that surfaced in the CBI report. Citing this, Shubhendu said, “CBI has the OMR sheets. Eligible candidates can prove their eligibility. The state government should now stop making excuses and take action.”
Political turmoil and public anger
The SSC recruitment scam is no longer just a legal matter, but it has become the center of Bengal politics. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to capitalize on this issue. The party’s state president Sukanta Majumdar also attacked Mamata and said, “This government is protecting the corrupt. The entire cabinet should be in jail.” On the other hand, Mamata accused the BJP and the CPI(M) of collusion. She said, “This is a conspiracy hatched against me. But I am not going to be afraid.”

Meanwhile, the anger of the teachers who lost their jobs is visible on the streets. From Kolkata to small towns, the affected candidates are protesting. A teacher, Sagar Mandal, said, “I worked hard, got a degree in first division, but everything ended in one stroke. Is this justice?” His words express the pain of thousands of people whose future is hanging in the balance.

What next?

This matter has now gone beyond just court decisions or political rhetoric. The question is whether the deserving candidates will be able to get their jobs back? Or will they be thrown into the fire of examination again? Be it Shubhendu’s claim or Mamata’s promise, the real test has just begun – of justice and transparency. The people of Bengal and the unemployed youth are waiting for the next chapter of this political drama.