Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday hit out at opposition BJP and CPI(M) over the outcome of Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the Calcutta High Court’s decision to cancel the recruitment of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff by the School Service Commission (SSC). The top court had termed the selection process "vitiated and tainted by fraud."

In a press conference, Banerjee questioned the extent of punishment meted out in the case. "Eke aparadher ko bar sahsti hoy? (How many times will one crime be punished?) We didn’t interfere when our education minister was taken into custody. The SSC is an autonomous body. How many people should suffer for one person’s crime?" she asked.

The chief minister assured that the government would take steps within three months to address the fallout of the verdict.

"We will inform the SSC and they will decide their course of action. We will adopt a humanitarian approach. It’s not just about 26,000 people; lakhs of their family members will be affected," she said.

Taking a swipe at opposition leaders, Banerjee said, "They should have thought that the innocent will be punished along with the tainted. There are one lakh vacancies in schools, yet I haven’t been able to fill them as this matter was subjudice." She accused the BJP and CPI(M) of orchestrating the situation, alleging that their goal was to undermine Bengal’s education system.

"CPM gave jobs to Ganashakti reporters’ wives. No probe was conducted. No investigations happen in BJP-ruled states. Why is Bengal being targeted? Are they afraid of Bengal’s talent?" Banerjee questioned.

She warned that the state would suffer a talent drain if the recruitment process remained stalled. "If thousands of teachers don’t teach, Bengal will lose its talents. Is this a conspiracy to stop Bengalis from rising?"

Attacking the Centre over the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from Delhi to the Allahabad High Court in the case of alleged cash recovery at his residence, Mamata said, "Cash was found in a judge’s house, and his only punishment was a transfer. Why weren’t these teachers transferred instead of losing their jobs? Judge Ganguly, who gave the verdict against the SSC recruitments, is now a BJP MP. This is the handiwork of the BJP and CPI(M)," she claimed.

Assuring support to the affected teachers, Banerjee urged them not to lose hope. "God will help you. No one can take your jobs. The judgment has given us two options to fight this. We will find out who the ministers were at the time. If anyone has records, it will help us," she said.

Referring to the SC verdict, she also reassured that those who lost their jobs would not be required to return their salaries.

Banerjee encouraged the Deprived Teachers’ Association to write to the state's education minister, promising legal and administrative backing. "They have booked Netaji Indoor Stadium on April 7. I will attend the meeting. Don’t lose heart. The court has asked you to apply, and you must."

Highlighting the financial hardships the affected teachers might face, she added, "Many must have taken loans, their children are in schools. We understand that BJP and CPI(M) have pushed them into misery. We don’t want anyone to be depressed."

Banerjee accused the BJP of trying to dismantle Bengal’s education system. "Education collapse is BJP’s motive. We will not reveal how we will run the education system over the next three months. We will find a way. But we will act on the SC verdict within three months. Don’t force me to say anything against the court’s verdict," she told the reporters.

Comparing the situation to other states, Banerjee raised questions about past scandals. "What about Vyapam? What about Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan? Why is only Bengal being targeted? Is this the way to do things? But we will respond positively," she asserted.

Banerjee also pointed out contradictions in judicial rulings. "The new verdict contradicts the previous Supreme Court Chief Justice’s judgment," she said, indicating her intent to challenge the ruling while ensuring that the state’s education system does not suffer.