West Bengal SSC scam: 'Tainted’ and ‘untainted’ candidates confront over entry pass ahead of meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee
Following last week’s Supreme Court verdict upholding the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel the entire 2016 recruitment panel for teaching (Classes 9 to 12) and non-teaching staff (Group C and D), thousands who lost their jobs began gathering from Sunday outside Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata to attend a meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, scheduled for Monday.
The ruling by a two-judge bench, led by the chief justice of India, affected over 25,500 individuals on Thursday. In response, Chief Minister Banerjee had announced that she would attend the meeting called by the affected candidates to hear their concerns.
Passes for the meeting were reportedly distributed to candidates deemed “untainted.” However, this sparked conflict with another group who claimed they had not received any passes. Tensions between the two factions escalated ahead of the meeting, culminating in heated arguments and even physical altercations.
Those with passes insisted that only the “eligible” candidates, based on OMR sheet reviews and involvement in the legal case, were granted access. They warned that if even one “tainted” individual was allowed entry, they would disrupt the meeting.
The opposing group questioned the basis of eligibility, arguing that if the court couldn’t separate tainted from untainted candidates, the administration had no authority to do so during pass distribution. Some even alleged that the passes had been sold to disqualified individuals.
The group with passes marched from Shahid Minar and staged a sit-in at the stadium’s entrance, vowing to block access to those they considered ineligible. Meanwhile, the other group had camped outside the venue overnight, demanding clarity on the origin and legitimacy of the passes.
Many attendees brought OMR sheets and appointment letters, claiming these as proof of their rightful eligibility. In some instances, such documents were allegedly snatched from them.
To manage the escalating situation, police intervened. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Indira Mukherjee spoke to the protesters, assuring them that arrangements were in place for those with valid passes and that alternative solutions were being considered for others.
“We’re seeing a large turnout,” said the DCP. “We’re facilitating entry through a different gate. I need to confirm who issued the passes, and only those with valid ones are being allowed inside.”
India