SSC scam: Calcutta HC directs untainted teachers to move their protest, allows maximum of 200 participants
(File) A tussle broke out between jobless teachers and police outside Bikas Bhavan in Saltlake | Salil Bera
Amidst their continuing sit-in protest in front of Bikash Bhawan, the headquarters of the state’s school education department in Kolkata, the Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the “untainted” West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) teachers to relocate their demonstration to the nearby Central Park area.
On May 15, protesting teachers who lost their jobs due to the cancellation of the 2016 SSC panel, faced police action. Since then, they have been staging dharna outside Bikash Bhawan. The protesters had allegedly damaged government property and obstructed the entry and exit of government officials for several hours.
The state government, represented by senior advocate and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee, told the court that 22 police personnel were injured during the demonstration, and 19 civilians reportedly fell ill.
The state informed that the protest has been causing disruptions for employees of the West Bengal Administrative Tribunal, State Vigilance Commission, and the State Bank of India working there.
In contrast, the protesting job losers alleged that efforts were being made to suppress their movement. They claimed that several teachers were injured due to police lathi-charge and accused the police of using excessive force.
On Friday, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of Calcutta High Court directed the teachers continue their protest with a maximum of 200 participants at a time, rotating in shifts. The protesters must submit the names of 10 representatives to the police, who will act as the point of contact for coordinating the gathering.
The court instructed the state government to ensure basic facilities for the demonstrators, including access to drinking water, toilets, and other necessary arrangements. Following the incident on May 15, the police registered cases of vandalism, property damage, and obstruction of government duties against a section of protesters. Another group of teachers were also issued a show-cause notice by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
The high court also ruled that no strict action can be taken by the police against those who already have cases filed against them in connection with the protest.
India