GG News Bureau
Kolkata, 17th May: The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday came down heavily on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government following alleged police brutality against agitating school teachers in Kolkata. The teachers, who were staging a protest demanding permanent jobs and timely recruitment, were reportedly met with force by the police during a demonstration earlier this week.
Visuals from the scene showed police personnel using batons and forcibly dispersing protesters near the Salt Lake area, leading to injuries among several teachers. The BJP has condemned the incident, calling it a “brutal assault on democratic rights” and accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration of suppressing dissent with an iron hand.
“Teachers, who are the pillars of our society, were beaten mercilessly for merely demanding their due rights. This is not governance, it’s tyranny,” said BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar. He further demanded an immediate inquiry into the incident and urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to take suo motu cognisance of the matter.
The agitating teachers, many of whom have been working on a contractual basis for years, alleged that despite qualifying for appointments through the School Service Commission (SSC), they have not been regularised. “We are not demanding anything unjust. We just want job security and recognition for our work,” said one protester, speaking anonymously out of fear of reprisals.
The TMC, however, defended the police action, claiming that the protest had turned unruly and posed a threat to law and order. “We are open to dialogue, but street blockades and disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated,” said state Education Minister Bratya Basu.
Meanwhile, civil society members and rights groups have also raised concerns over the use of force against teachers, calling for restraint and a resolution through dialogue. The issue has now snowballed into a major political flashpoint in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections, with the BJP planning to organise state-wide protests and candlelight marches in solidarity with the teachers.
As tensions mount, the fate of thousands of contractual school teachers remains uncertain, with no clear assurance from the state government on job regularisation or an official meeting with protest representatives.
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