The West Bengal BJP has launched a legal support initiative to aid individuals affected by an alleged school jobs scandal. In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive, the party established a dedicated helpline and website, bjplegalsupport.org, to assist “genuine” candidates impacted by the purported irregularities.
BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya affirmed their commitment to support eligible candidates affected by what they claim to be illegal recruitment orchestrated by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The initiative follows PM Modi’s pledge to address grievances arising from the controversy during state election rallies. The scandal revolves around the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-affiliated schools, deemed “null and void” by the Calcutta High Court on April 22, resulting in the termination of approximately 26,000 appointments.
However, the Supreme Court intervened on Tuesday, staying the High Court’s decision regarding the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff by the state’s School Service Commission (SSC).
Despite this, the CBI has been granted permission to continue its investigation, including into members of the state cabinet, although with a directive to avoid hasty actions such as arrests. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of orchestrating the scandal and expressed gratitude for the Supreme Court’s intervention in halting the High Court’s order.
