Protests Erupt as Kolkata's 'Tainted' Educators Demand Justice

Over 400 former staff members protested at Hazra Crossing in Kolkata, demanding reinstatement after the Supreme Court's job termination order affected 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff. They expressed frustration over being labeled 'tainted', despite passing the 2016 WBSSC Recruitment Test, and criticized the inadequate temporary allowance offered.

More than 400 individuals staged a protest on Monday, blocking the Hazra Crossing in South Kolkata. The demonstrators, comprised of teaching and non-teaching staff laid off following a Supreme Court order, were demanding to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The protest halted traffic for almost an hour on the busy Asutosh Mukherjee Road as participants voiced their discontent over being labeled "tainted" despite passing the 2016 WBSSC Recruitment Test. They insisted on reinstatement or permission to continue working until the end of the year.

As police attempted to prevent their advance towards the Chief Minister's residence, protesters clashed with officers and staged a sit-in. Tensions heightened as some were escorted away in police vehicles, while others remained resolute, highlighting the impact of widespread recruitment corruption on their livelihoods.

(With inputs from agencies.)