West Bengal: Sacked Teachers Begin Relay Hunger Strike Outside SSC Office

Kolkata: A section of sacked teachers on Thursday announced a relay hunger strike outside the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) office in protest over the issue of losing jobs by the verdict of the Supreme Court.

“We have started a symbolic hunger strike with one teacher and soon will chalk out the future plans,” said the protesting teachers to the media outside the SSC building.

The protesting teachers have been sitting in front of the SSC building ‘Acharya Sadan’ since Wednesday late evening not just for losing jobs but also against the police as they lathicharged against the sacked teachers when they visited DI office.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Mayor Firhad Hakim said that they sacked teachers as suggested by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, can attend schools and provide voluntary services.

Sitting at the agitation with the teachers, former Justice of Calcutta High Court and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Abhijit Gangopadhyay blamed the state administration for the entire development.

“Why two FIRs lodged against the teachers? Was that necessary?” questioned Gangopadhyay.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh questioned why the sacked teachers visited the DI office as the problem is related with the apex court’s verdict.

Meanwhile, traffic in Kolkata was thrown out of gear as several rallies by different organizations hit the streets.

Several protesting doctors joined the teachers who took out rallies from Sealdah to Dorina crossing in the Esplanade area.

The BJP, SFI also took out rallies and burnt tyres to protest against the alleged atrocities of the state government in connection to the SSC recruitment.

The TMC took out a rally in South Kolkata over the price hike of LPG gas. A rally was organised by the West Bengal State Jamiat-e-Ulama at Ramlila Maidan in Entally in central Kolkata, against the WAQF (Amendment) bill.