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Half a million state govt jobs lying vacant due to Oppn roadblocks: Mamata Banerjee

Feb 13, 2024 08:29 AM IST

The Calcutta high court is at present hearing a series of PILs related to alleged irregularities in recruitment drives in schools and civic bodies in West Bengal

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused opposition parties of not allowing the state government to recruit people for around half a million posts in various departments, including schools and police.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI Photo)
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. (ANI Photo)

“We want to give appointments to half a million people in the state government. But ask the CPIM and BJP leaders not to create obstacles and ruin the future of unemployed youths. Anyone can move court. It is their right. But do they not have any mercy? Posts are lying vacant. We want to appoint people, but can’t recruit because of the CPIM, BJP and Congress leaders,” Banerjee claimed.

The chief minister pressed the allegations while addressing a government programme in West Bengal’s Hooghly district where she inaugurated and laid the foundation for projects worth around 4,000 crore.

“The government wants to recruit 60,000 people in the police department and around one lakh as schoolteachers. The moment we try to recruit, they (opposition leaders) move court,” Banerjee said.

The Calcutta high court is at present hearing a series of public interest litigations (PILs) related to alleged irregularities in recruitment drives in schools and civic bodies, while the CBI and ED are probing into these alleged scams. Multiple leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), including former state education minister Partha Chatterjee, have been arrested by the federal agencies and are now in prison.

“Not allowing people to get jobs is a big corruption. Look at the railways and you will find out about the corruption going on there. We don’t raise our voice because at least some people were getting jobs. Look at the defense deals. We don’t say anything because some people were getting jobs. One shouldn’t stop recruitment drives,” she said.

The opposition, however, has hit back saying that the TMC-government was engaging in various kinds of irregularities in the recruitment process, which prompted deserving candidates to move court and get stay on the appointments.

“We are not against appointments if they are transparent and based on merit. But we would certainly move court if there’s corruption. Even the courts stayed the recruitment processes because they found irregularities. CBI and ED probes have also been ordered,” said Tarunjyoti Tewari, advocate and BJP leader.

“This is a blatant lie. We have not moved court in any of the cases in which the government carried out recruitment as per rules. But if she (CM) thinks that she and her leaders would sell jobs, we won’t allow it,” said Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, senior high court advocate and CPIM leader.

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