SSC Recruitment Scam: BJP Yuva Morcha to protest across Bengal after ED raids in Kolkata

As the Enforcement Directorate is carrying out raids at various premises in West Bengal linked to the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya on Saturday informed that the party's youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) will launch a protest across the state. He stated that jobs were sold for cash, some of which were recovered from Mamata Banerjee's close aid Partha Chatterjee's residence. The demonstration will be carried out demanding justice for lakhs of young people whose career got ruined due to the state government's SSC scam.

Taking to Twitter, Malviya said, "Today, BJYM will launch protest across all districts of WB demanding justice for lakhs of young men and women, whose career SSC scam ruined. Jobs were sold for cash, some of which ED recovered from an associate of Mamata Banerjee’s close confidant Partha Chatterjee."

ED Raids TMC Min Partha Chatterjee's House  

ED carried out a raid at former West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee's residence in South Kolkata and is currently grilling him in connection with its probe into the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff of state-run schools through the SSC.

According to sources, ED officials entered former West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee’s residence on Friday morning. The authorities are reportedly conducting raids at 13 locations across the state. West Bengal minister Paresh Adhikari’s residence in Cooch Behar district was also raided.

It is pertinent to mention here that TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, who is currently the minister for industries and commerce, was the education minister when the alleged malpractices took place. He was earlier interrogated by the CBI in May. Chatterjee has appeared twice before the CBI for questioning first on May 18, and again on May 25. The directive to the minister to appear before CBI earlier came after a division bench of the Calcutta High Court upheld orders of the single bench that directed the CBI to inquire into the alleged illegal appointments given by the West Bengal SSC. 

What is the SSC Recruitment Scam case?

In November 2021, the contentious state recruitment came under the legal scanner after the Calcutta High Court ordered a preliminary inquiry by the CBI into alleged irregularities in the appointment of Group-D staff in aided/sponsored schools under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) on purported recommendations by the state's School Service Commission.

The HC order was passed on a petition by several job aspirants, claiming that appointments were given to individuals after the expiry of the panel proposed for the posts of Group-D staff in aided/sponsored secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.

Earlier, the Calcutta HC had put to halt the salary of 25 Group D staff personnel on the ground of alleged foul play over appointment by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) based on "recommendations" of the West Bengal School Service Commission. The WBBSE claimed that all the appointments were given on the basis of recommendations by the SSC Board. However, the commission submitted an affidavit before the court stating that after May 4, 2019, when the panel of Group-D staff had expired, no recommendation letter was issued by it.

(Image: ANI/@IndranilKhan-Twitter)