"BJP is with you": Abhijit Ganguly backs SSC protestors, blames Mamata

A fresh wave of agitation unfolded on Thursday morning as a group of unemployed teachers began a hunger strike outside the SSC (School Service Commission) office in Kolkata. Their demands were two-fold: the immediate publication of the names of those whose jobs were canceled in the controversial 2016 SSC recruitment, and justice after the alleged police lathicharge on protesters in Kasba earlier this week.

Soon after the protest began, BJP MP and former judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay reached the scene. Joining him were BJP leaders Rupa Gangopadhyay, actor-politician Rudranil Ghosh, and former SSC chairman Chittaranjan Mondal. The leaders met the demonstrators and extended their support to the ongoing agitation. From the protest site, Abhijit launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu.

Calling the state's promises “hypocritical,” Abhijit questioned the FIRs filed against job-seeking teachers. “Why file cases against them if the state is innocent? They know they’ve done wrong, and that’s why there’s no genuine intent to resolve it,” he stated. He further warned that if SSC fails to release the mirror images of OMR sheets by Friday, a larger protest will begin on Saturday.

Interestingly, Abhijit had earlier promised to deliver a protest letter to Education Minister Bratya Basu at Vikas Bhavan, but backed out at the last moment. Bratya took a jibe, implying internal BJP politics might be stopping him. On Thursday, Abhijit responded, asserting the BJP was “fully on his side.” However, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh countered by saying Abhijit’s independence was clearly not backed by the party, and accused the BJP of blocking real solutions.

From the protest site, Abhijit did not mince words: “Whatever’s happening is happening on the Chief Minister’s orders. Maybe police will come here too. But we’re with the protesters.” His remarks further escalated the political heat surrounding the SSC recruitment irregularities, which have haunted the state government for years.

BJP leader Rupa Gangopadhyay also spoke out, alleging that the corrupt beneficiaries of SSC jobs could be easily identified if authorities wanted to. Former SSC Chairman Chittaranjan Mondal demanded accountability from Bratya Basu and offered to meet the current chairman Siddharth Majumdar, reminiscing how the government had earlier removed him from service.

A fresh wave of agitation unfolded on Thursday morning as a group of unemployed teachers began a hunger strike outside the SSC (School Service Commission) office in Kolkata. Their demands were two-fold: the immediate publication of the names of those whose jobs were canceled in the controversial 2016 SSC recruitment, and justice after the alleged police lathicharge on protesters in Kasba earlier this week.

Soon after the protest began, BJP MP and former judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay reached the scene. Joining him were BJP leaders Rupa Gangopadhyay, actor-politician Rudranil Ghosh, and former SSC chairman Chittaranjan Mondal. The leaders met the demonstrators and extended their support to the ongoing agitation. From the protest site, Abhijit launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu.

Calling the state's promises “hypocritical,” Abhijit questioned the FIRs filed against job-seeking teachers. “Why file cases against them if the state is innocent? They know they’ve done wrong, and that’s why there’s no genuine intent to resolve it,” he stated. He further warned that if SSC fails to release the mirror images of OMR sheets by Friday, a larger protest will begin on Saturday.

Interestingly, Abhijit had earlier promised to deliver a protest letter to Education Minister Bratya Basu at Vikas Bhavan, but backed out at the last moment. Bratya took a jibe, implying internal BJP politics might be stopping him. On Thursday, Abhijit responded, asserting the BJP was “fully on his side.” However, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh countered by saying Abhijit’s independence was clearly not backed by the party, and accused the BJP of blocking real solutions.

From the protest site, Abhijit did not mince words: “Whatever’s happening is happening on the Chief Minister’s orders. Maybe police will come here too. But we’re with the protesters.” His remarks further escalated the political heat surrounding the SSC recruitment irregularities, which have haunted the state government for years.

BJP leader Rupa Gangopadhyay also spoke out, alleging that the corrupt beneficiaries of SSC jobs could be easily identified if authorities wanted to. Former SSC Chairman Chittaranjan Mondal demanded accountability from Bratya Basu and offered to meet the current chairman Siddharth Majumdar, reminiscing how the government had earlier removed him from service.

A fresh wave of agitation unfolded on Thursday morning as a group of unemployed teachers began a hunger strike outside the SSC (School Service Commission) office in Kolkata. Their demands were two-fold: the immediate publication of the names of those whose jobs were canceled in the controversial 2016 SSC recruitment, and justice after the alleged police lathicharge on protesters in Kasba earlier this week.

Soon after the protest began, BJP MP and former judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay reached the scene. Joining him were BJP leaders Rupa Gangopadhyay, actor-politician Rudranil Ghosh, and former SSC chairman Chittaranjan Mondal. The leaders met the demonstrators and extended their support to the ongoing agitation. From the protest site, Abhijit launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu.

Calling the state's promises “hypocritical,” Abhijit questioned the FIRs filed against job-seeking teachers. “Why file cases against them if the state is innocent? They know they’ve done wrong, and that’s why there’s no genuine intent to resolve it,” he stated. He further warned that if SSC fails to release the mirror images of OMR sheets by Friday, a larger protest will begin on Saturday.

Interestingly, Abhijit had earlier promised to deliver a protest letter to Education Minister Bratya Basu at Vikas Bhavan, but backed out at the last moment. Bratya took a jibe, implying internal BJP politics might be stopping him. On Thursday, Abhijit responded, asserting the BJP was “fully on his side.” However, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh countered by saying Abhijit’s independence was clearly not backed by the party, and accused the BJP of blocking real solutions.

From the protest site, Abhijit did not mince words: “Whatever’s happening is happening on the Chief Minister’s orders. Maybe police will come here too. But we’re with the protesters.” His remarks further escalated the political heat surrounding the SSC recruitment irregularities, which have haunted the state government for years.

BJP leader Rupa Gangopadhyay also spoke out, alleging that the corrupt beneficiaries of SSC jobs could be easily identified if authorities wanted to. Former SSC Chairman Chittaranjan Mondal demanded accountability from Bratya Basu and offered to meet the current chairman Siddharth Majumdar, reminiscing how the government had earlier removed him from service.

A fresh wave of agitation unfolded on Thursday morning as a group of unemployed teachers began a hunger strike outside the SSC (School Service Commission) office in Kolkata. Their demands were two-fold: the immediate publication of the names of those whose jobs were canceled in the controversial 2016 SSC recruitment, and justice after the alleged police lathicharge on protesters in Kasba earlier this week.

Soon after the protest began, BJP MP and former judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay reached the scene. Joining him were BJP leaders Rupa Gangopadhyay, actor-politician Rudranil Ghosh, and former SSC chairman Chittaranjan Mondal. The leaders met the demonstrators and extended their support to the ongoing agitation. From the protest site, Abhijit launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu.

Calling the state's promises “hypocritical,” Abhijit questioned the FIRs filed against job-seeking teachers. “Why file cases against them if the state is innocent? They know they’ve done wrong, and that’s why there’s no genuine intent to resolve it,” he stated. He further warned that if SSC fails to release the mirror images of OMR sheets by Friday, a larger protest will begin on Saturday.

Interestingly, Abhijit had earlier promised to deliver a protest letter to Education Minister Bratya Basu at Vikas Bhavan, but backed out at the last moment. Bratya took a jibe, implying internal BJP politics might be stopping him. On Thursday, Abhijit responded, asserting the BJP was “fully on his side.” However, Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh countered by saying Abhijit’s independence was clearly not backed by the party, and accused the BJP of blocking real solutions.

From the protest site, Abhijit did not mince words: “Whatever’s happening is happening on the Chief Minister’s orders. Maybe police will come here too. But we’re with the protesters.” His remarks further escalated the political heat surrounding the SSC recruitment irregularities, which have haunted the state government for years.

BJP leader Rupa Gangopadhyay also spoke out, alleging that the corrupt beneficiaries of SSC jobs could be easily identified if authorities wanted to. Former SSC Chairman Chittaranjan Mondal demanded accountability from Bratya Basu and offered to meet the current chairman Siddharth Majumdar, reminiscing how the government had earlier removed him from service.