Bengal government to bar new school teachers from active politics
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the restriction will apply to future recruits and not to existing teachers.
The West Bengal government has decided to bar newly recruited school teachers from engaging in active politics, according to a report by The Indian Express. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the decision following a Cabinet meeting at Nabanna on Wednesday.
Adhikari stated that the restriction will apply only to future recruits and not to those already in the profession. He said the decision has been incorporated into the recruitment process of the School Service Commission (SSC).
School Education Minister Dipak Burman backed the move, arguing that teachers wishing to enter active politics should quit their profession like other government employees. A senior BJP leader added that the decision is necessary in the interest of education.
Teachers' organisations have questioned the move. Sujit Das, general secretary of the All Bengal Teachers' Association (ABTA), said the announcement lacked clarity and questioned how restrictions would apply to teachers in grant-in-aid schools.
Kinkar Adhikari, general secretary of Shikshanuragi Oikya Mancha, said the decision could affect the right to protest. Swapan Mandal, general secretary of the Bengal Teachers' and Employees' Association, questioned the justification of comparing West Bengal to other states.
Opposition leaders criticised the decision. Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya called it an attack on democratic rights, while CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said the government should focus on filling vacancies and improving infrastructure instead.