Political slugfest erupts over termination of 36K primary teachers in Bengal

Kolkata, May 12 (IANS) A fresh political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal over the termination of service of 36,000 primary teachers in the state following an order issued by the Calcutta High Court on Friday.

Commenting on the development, Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the high court must see that no teacher becomes a victim of the court's decision.

"We had been saying since the beginning that only qualified persons should get jobs. But at the same time, it has to be seen that no one becomes a victim of stubbornness. The counsels for the state government and the concerned departments will surely review the order of the court. I am not in a position to make further comments on this issue," he said.

CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said that although he feels bad that the services of 36,000 primary teachers have been terminated by a court decision, it is the state government which is responsible for it.

"Those who sold jobs against money should be arrested and the money should be recovered from them. The Trinamool leaders should be ready now to face the public's ire," Chakraborty said.

According to Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the termination of service of so many people is nothing less than a tsunami.

"The entire state is shivering because of the tsunami of corruption. Under the current government, West Bengal will surely figure in the Guinness World Records for corruption," he said.

According to BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, breaking the law is rampant in all the departments of the state government under Trinamool's rule.

"The court is now pointing out the irregularities one after the other. I wonder where this tunnel of corruption ends," he said.