Bengal BJP launches portal and helpline for 'genuine candidates' hit by school jobs scam

A senior BJP leader announced on Thursday (April 9) that the West Bengal branch of the party has established a specialized legal aid website and helpline to aid "genuine" candidates impacted by the purported school jobs scandal.

The helpline number and the portal were made public on Wednesday night, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the state unit of the BJP to establish a legal cell for the "genuine" candidates.

"As per the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal BJP is duty-bound to stand beside the eligible candidates who were affected due to the TMC's illegal recruitment of some people," BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.

Helpline and support website

The legal support website is 'bjplegalsupport.org' and helpline number is 9150056618, he said.

"Once a complaint is received through the helpline number or the website, we will speak to the candidate concerned and seek the status of his or her case, following which we will provide legal help accordingly," he said.

While addressing election rallies in the state on Friday, Modi had issued the direction to the state BJP in a bid to address grievances stemming from the scam and assured of support to genuine candidates who were affected.

'Null and void'

The Calcutta High Court had on April 22 declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as "null and void", ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it. Around 26,000 people lost their jobs following the court order.

The Supreme Court, however, on Tuesday stayed the Calcutta High Court order invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staffers made by the state's School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and aided schools.

'Hatching a conspiracy'

A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, however, permitted the CBI to continue with its investigation and probe even members of the state cabinet but asked the agency not to take any precipitate action like arresting a suspect.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused the BJP of "hatching the conspiracy" to snatch away the school jobs and thanked the apex court for staying the Calcutta High Court order.

(With agency inputs)