The pavement of Mayo Road in Kolkata has become a second home for educating applicants. For the past 500 days, a group of aspiring teachers has been demanding their ‘right to a job’. These aspirants claim that they were named on the merit list but were unable to get jobs due to corruption and malpractice.
For the past 500 days, these aspirants have been sitting on the doorstep every morning from 10 a.m. to midnight to protest. After 500 days of protesting after the former education minister was arrested and after the images of huge cash were recovered from the minister’s closest aide, they hope to see another day.
Sahidullah, who has been leading this protest for the past 500 days, told News18.com that “the arrest of the minister proved that whatever we said is correct, there has been massive corruption in the recruitment of teachers. I know some aspirants who have committed suicide. How long do we have to wait for our job?”
The protesters claim that four of their candidates have died pending justice because they were unable to run their families and hold protests.
After writing letters to most of the MP and also to MLA – from both the ruling party and the opposition, Abhishek Banerjee, a member of the All India Trinamool Congress, will address the representatives on Friday, the 500th day of protest. of the teacher meet job applicants. The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. in his office.
Today they will meet Abhishek Banerjee but their requirement remains the same. They want the jobs. These candidates had their names on the merit list but ended up not getting a job.
Sahidullah told News18: “He (Banerjee) called us yesterday around 2:45 pm, he told us that he will listen to us and try to solve our problem. We hope something will happen. Every day 50 to 60 petitioners sit here to demand justice. Whether it’s rain, storm, heat or the coronavirus, we’re on the way. After all this, we hope something will happen.”
The first time they were on the road was in 2019 for 29 days. They were sitting in front of the Press Club and Mamata Banerjee met them at that time. The second time in 2021 from January 30, they were on the road for 187 days. From October until now, they have protested for their jobs.
Sushanto Ghosh, another candidate for a teacher, is from Maldah, he also comes all the way to Kolkata to protest. Speaking to News18, Susanto said: “Only this sidewalk was with us, we contacted quarterly but got no response. We have great respect for the judiciary and we still hope for justice.”
Like Sahidullah, like Sushanto, all these applicants have one thing in common: the zeal to fight, the zeal to protest against injustice.
Abhishek Banerjee said yesterday: “I have spoken to them and I will meet them on Friday, we will try to work out something that we can ask the government.”
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