Chaos over entry passes mars Mamata's meeting with sacked teachers
The affected candidates, many of whom said they had approached the courts to seek justice, claimed they were not provided with entry passes — a must to enter the stadium
Kolkata, Apr 7 (PTI) Several "eligible" teachers whose jobs were recently annulled by the Supreme Court were allegedly denied entry to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's meeting at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here on Monday, triggering chaos outside the venue over distribution of passes.
The affected candidates, many of whom said they had approached the courts to seek justice, claimed they were not provided with entry passes — a must to enter the stadium.
"There was no transparency in the distribution of passes. We came hoping to speak to the Chief Minister, but we were left standing outside," said an aggrieved teacher who did not wish to be named.
Police detained a youth accused of snatching passes from some teachers.
He was taken away in a police van, even as many of the demonstrators demanded an explanation for the "lack of communication and fairness." "Passes were checked and then allowed entry. A lot of people turned up. No one knows who gave those passes and on what basis," a teacher said.
Distribution of passes was reportedly overseen by the 'Yogyo Shikshak-Shikshika Adhikar Mancha', a forum representing the eligible candidates who had filed petitions in court.
"We have a list of petitioners who moved court through our forum. Based on that, the passes were issued," a representative of the Mancha told a Bengali news channel.
According to the TMC students' wing and West Bengal College and University Professors' Association (WBCUPA), around 15,000 teaching and non-teaching staff came to the venue.
There was no official communication from the state government on the criteria for pass distribution.
The Mancha further alleged that many "ineligible" candidates had reached the stadium early and attempted to enter, leading to confusion and unrest.
Those who couldn't enter the venue later went to meet Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari outside the West Bengal Assembly, a stone's throw away from the Netaji Indoor Stadium, and narrated their ordeal.
"This incident clearly exposes the true character of the TMC government," Adhikari said.
"Even at the entry point of this meeting, the TMC indulged in nepotism and corruption. The Chief Minister had no intention of listening to genuine voices. She seemed more interested in rehabilitating tainted candidates than addressing the real concerns of people," he said.
The Supreme Court last week cancelled the jobs of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff recruited through the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) process, citing widespread irregularities in the recruitment. PTI