Salt Lake, Kolkata: Tensions escalated at Karunamoyee, Salt Lake, on Monday as a protest by aspiring upper primary teachers turned chaotic. Hundreds of candidates, who had passed the 2016 TET (Teacher Eligibility Test) but are yet to be appointed, gathered to demand their long-pending recruitment. Their plan to gherao the School Service Commission (SSC) office was met with a heavy police presence, leading to physical confrontations as police forcefully dispersed the crowd.
The protest followed a similar pattern of demonstrations held by various job seekers across Kolkata in recent months. However, the treatment of the teacher candidates starkly contrasted with the peaceful handling of junior doctors’ protests just days earlier. While junior doctors were allowed to continue their sit-ins, and police even removed barricades for them, the teaching candidates were forcibly pushed back.
Key Points:
- The candidates, frustrated by years of delay, were demanding recruitment after a recent High Court order directed the appointment of 14,052 candidates for upper primary positions.
- When the protesters attempted to reach the SSC office, they were stopped by the police, leading to scuffles and physical altercations.
- Protesters alleged double standards in police handling, contrasting their treatment with that of junior doctors who recently protested outside the Health Department’s office without facing police aggression.
- Despite repeated police warnings, the teacher candidates refused to vacate the area, resulting in their removal by force, which included alleged instances of being physically dragged and shoved.
- The candidates have expressed frustration over the government’s failure to implement the court’s ruling and vowed to continue their protests until their demands are met.
The SSC recruitment process has long been plagued with delays and controversies, leading to widespread discontent among eligible candidates. Monday’s incident has further deepened the divide between job seekers and authorities.