Siliguri, 23rd July: Taking a massive jibe at the West Bengal government after the recent arrest of former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista stated that the matter is just the tip of the “Ghotala Iceberg”. He accused the Trinamool Congress-led government of collecting cut-money and taking public funds.
The MP further appealed to the ED and CBI to investigate the teachers’ recruitment process under Gorkhaland Territorial Administration as well along with rest of Bengal. He maintained that in North Bengal, the SSC or College Service Commission (CSC) recruitment has been held since the GTA Agreement was signed in 2011. He accused the TMC and its alliance parties of ‘recruiting whomever they want, without even conducting interviews.’
The MP’s statement read:
The massive amounts of cash, jewellery, foreign currencies mobile phones recovered by the Enforcement Directorate from TMC affiliated people, and the arrest of former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee in this regards is just the tip of the Ghotala Iceberg in TMC raj.
There is not a single sphere from which TMC has not collected cut-money. Be it Sharada, Basil, SSC, CSC, Coal Scam, Mining Mafia, GTA Ghotala, Metro Dairy, HIMUL, Civic Police, MGNREGA, PMGSY, PMAY, PHE, PWD, Health Sector, or Education, TMC leaders have usurped public funds with impunity. But tiem for their reckoning with the law has now come.
Under TMC, West Bengal has seen systematic destruction of education system. The appointment to schools and colleges here are not done on the basis of qualifications, but it is done on the basis of candidate’s support to TMC and their alliance parties, and their ability to pay cut-money (ghush) to TMC and affiliated leaders. While thousands of youths who have cleared B.Ed and DLED degrees are side-lined, TMC supporters, even if they are unqualified or underqualified, are being given the jobs to teach in schools.
In colleges, instead of hiring NET qualified teachers, West Bengal government is allowing posts to be filled by those without NET, but affiliated to TMC.
TMC has destroyed every level of education in the state through multiple Ghotalas.
In 2016, TMC indulged in the State Level Selection Test (SLST) Ghotala. A merit list was prepared initially, this was modified to include TMC cadres and those who paid money to TMC leaders. What can be more shameful than the fact that recently the WB Education Minister’s daughter was removed from her post of teacher, as she had landed her job this way. In any other state the Minister would have been booted out, but under TMC such Ministers thrive.
TMC has indulged in Group C and Group D School Service Commission Recruitment Ghotala. The case is being investigated by CBI. Between 2013-16, TMC indulged in Primary Teacher’s Recruitment Ghotala. TMC has also indulged in Upper Primary Teacher’s Recruitment Ghotala.
In North Bengal, situation is even worse, there is no SSC or College Service Commission (CSC) recruitment held since GTA Agreement was Signed in 2011. Till date TMC and their alliance parties are recruiting whomever they want, without even conducting interviews. There are massive allegations of corruption in GTA teacher’s recruitment too.
All these have collectively destroyed the education system of West Bengal. Appointment of unqualified teachers is set to ruin the present and future generations of the state.
I am most hopeful that the sphere of these investigations will be further spread, and along with rest of Bengal, ED and CBI will also investigate the teachers’ recruitment ghotala under GTA as well.