WB: Mamata Banerjee Loses Cool as Job Seekers Interrupt Rally

Job seekers once again protested in front of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, after a similar demonstration the previous day. Bannerjee was seen losing her temper as she alleged that the CPI(M) had sent the protesters to disturb her rally.

Banerjee had a party meeting in Asansol on Tuesday. During the meeting, some women raised posters to attract the attention of the CM. On the posters, it was written – ‘Didi, we want to say something. It is learned that the protesters are SLST (State Level Selection Test) passed job seekers.’ Seeing the matter, the CM asked them to sit quietly. She then directly complained that the BJP and the CPI(M) had sent them here.

Police tried to remove the job seekers from the rally. They kept saying that they had only come to convey their demands and that no one had sent them here. Banerjee did not listen to them again and the police removed the protesters from the meeting place.

Then from the stage, the Chief Minister said, “We talked with them yesterday. It is a matter for the court. Nothing is possible for me. Some of these job seekers have filed cases in court. That's why there are so many complications with the recruitment phase.’

“I have prepared for 17,000 jobs. You bring the permission of the court. The job is ready,” she further said.

Mamata Banerjee also attacked CPI(M) MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, the lawyer of the job seekers. “I have sympathy for the job seekers. But Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya will do politics. BJP also do politics. But I will not do politics with youth's jobs,” Banerjee said.

In response to Banerjee's remarks, yesterday evening in a video message, Bhattacharya said, “Mamata Banerjee is a totally corrupt leader. Let her move away from Nabanna (Administrative Building of West Bengal). We will arrange the job on the basis of merit, according to the rules.” Addressing the Chief Minister, he further said that “She has appointed 17,000 posts in a corrupt manner. Those who are not eligible have been given appointment letters in exchange for money. That is why the eligible candidates have gone to court. I did not go to court. I raised my voice for them, which is my moral responsibility.”

It is to be mentioned that the candidates who passed the TET examination demonstrated with placards demanding a job at the Chief Minister's official function in Burdwan on Monday. During the Chief Minister's speech, some young women shouted, "We want to say something about the job at TET; listen to us, Chief Minister." Immediately the media cameras turned on the protesters. Under pressure, Banerjee was forced to speak to the protesters.