Kolkata, April 8: Workers of the opposition parties of West Bengal – BJP, CPI(M) and Congress – on Tuesday hit the streets of Kolkata and Howrah, demanding resignation of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the aftermath of the Supreme Court scrapping over 25,000 school jobs.
The CPI(M) students wing, BJP’s youth front and the Congress separately blocked arterial roads in the two cities.
The Supreme Court on April 3 upheld a 2024 Calcutta High Court judgment annulling the recruitment of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff appointed through the 2016 School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment drive, terming the entire selection process “vitiated and tainted”.
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Those who were rendered jobless claimed that the reason behind their plight was the inability of the SSC to differentiate between the candidates who secured employment through fraudulent means and those who did not.
In Kolkata, around 100 activists of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) blocked the MG Road-Central Avenue crossing for about an hour demanding the resignation of the chief minister.
They also protested the alleged manhandling of BJYM leader Tamoghno Ghosh by the police during the BJP’s march to the Kalighat residence of Mamata Banerjee on Monday.
The protestors also burnt tyres during the blockade.
In Howrah town, around 300 SFI activists blocked a national highway for some time and had scuffle with police and RAF personnel during a protest rally.
Holding Banerjee responsible for the invalidation of jobs of over 25,000 school staff, the activists demanded her resignation and claimed that the state’s failure to segregate tainted and untainted employees led to the present situation.
Expressing solidarity with eligible teachers, around 100 Congress activists organised a rally from the party state headquarters in central Kolkata.
Members of the SUCI (Communist) students’ wing AIDSO also blocked College Street for some time on the same issue.
Police said the protests were largely peaceful but disrupted vehicular traffic movement for some time. (PTI)
Navy chief directs commanders to focus on 7 specific areas
New Delhi, April 8: Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has directed naval commanders to focus on seven key areas including war fighting and combat efficiency, fleet maintenance and operational logistics, integration of new technologies and synergy with other agencies.
In his remarks at the Navy Commanders’ Conference, Admiral Tripathi also asked them to ensure operational and organisational “agility” and a balanced workforce development programme.
The first phase of the conference took place at Karwar base in Karnataka on April 5 while the second and final phase is being held in the national capital from April 7 to 10.
The Navy commanders are learnt to have carried out a detailed review of the overall situation in the Indian Ocean, a region that has witnessed increasing Chinese activities.
In his address to the outstation operational and area commanders, and the staff of the command and naval headquarters, Admiral Tripathi commended the achievements of the Navy in maintaining a combat ready force through the conduct of successful operational exercises, higher operational availability of platforms and joint operations with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, according to an official readout.
Highlighting the contribution to the domestic shipbuilding industry and increased culture of innovation and creativity, he laid emphasis on continued focus on adapting emerging technologies to build a “future ready” force.
“The Navy Chief reiterated the Indian Navy’s obligation in the Indian Ocean Region in the emerging geopolitical scenario and importance of cohesive and credible approach by engaging in multilateral and bilateral exercises and supporting littoral countries through activities such as ‘Operation Brahma’,” he said.
India launched Operation Brahma to help earthquake-hit Myanmar.
“The Chief of Naval Staff directed the staff to maintain focus on seven key areas — war fighting and combat efficiency, force levels and capacity development, fleet maintenance and operational logistics, innovation and integration of new technologies, balanced workforce development, operational and organisational agility and synergy with other national agencies and stakeholders,” the readout noted.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also interacted with the naval commanders.
He spoke on the changing dynamics in the global order and its impact on wide ranging issues pertaining to international relations including the global security architecture.
The Navy chief released publications pertaining to the Indian Navy’s operational data framework, space vision, naval aviation safety, and one-stop reference guide on retirement and life beyond the Navy, the readout by the Navy said. (PTI)
