"Committed a Sin Against Bengal’s Education System…”: PM Modi Slams TMC Over Teacher Recruitment Scam, Accuses Government of Ruining Futures

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday slammed the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of widespread corruption and administrative failure, particularly in the education sector. Addressing a public rally in Alipurduar, Modi underscored the alleged teacher recruitment scam, calling it one of the most damaging betrayals of public trust in the state’s recent history.

“The worst impacted by the corrupt practices of the ruling dispensation are the youth of the state, the poor, and middle-class families,” the Prime Minister said. “The teachers’ recruitment scam is the biggest example of how corruption can wreak havoc in society,” he added.

Modi alleged that the TMC government had "destroyed the futures of thousands of teachers" by engaging in irregularities and bribery during the hiring process. He pointed to the recent Supreme Court ruling that invalidated thousands of appointments, citing serious procedural lapses and a lack of transparency. “The TMC government in its tenure has ruined the futures of thousands of teachers; they have destroyed their families and left their children in a state of dire helplessness,” he remarked.

The Prime Minister described the alleged scam as not only a betrayal of the teachers who had prepared and worked hard for jobs, but also a grave threat to the state’s education system. “This isn’t just about playing with the futures of thousands of teachers,” Modi said. “This is also a ploy to destroy the education system of West Bengal. The futures of lakhs of students are at stake in the absence of their teachers — this is the kind of sin that the TMC has committed,” said Modi.

PM Modi further criticised the TMC for what he termed its refusal to take responsibility for the “scandal”, accusing the party of shifting blame rather than accepting accountability. “The worst part is that even today they are not ready to own up to their mistakes. Rather, they go around pointing fingers at the courts and the central government,” he said.

During his public address, the Prime Minister painted a grim picture of governance in West Bengal, describing the state as being “plagued” by violence, corruption, and lawlessness. He said that the public mood had turned, and people were now demanding a change from what he called the “nirmam sarkar” — a ruthless government.

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Alipurduar, a group of dismissed school teachers had requested for a brief meeting with him, urging his intervention in their ongoing crisis. They had submitted formal requests to the district administration, the local MP, and the BJP state president, seeking a five-minute audience with the Prime Minister to present their appeal.

The Supreme Court, in its verdict on 3 April, cancelled the appointments of over 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal due to widespread irregularities in the recruitment process.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her government would initiate a fresh recruitment drive in line with the court’s directives. Speaking at a press conference at Nabanna on Tuesday, she said a new notification would be issued by 31 May. She also assured that age relaxation and weightage for prior work experience would be granted to the dismissed candidates in the upcoming selection process.

However, the announcement sparked outrage among the aggrieved teachers, who criticised the move as a “death warrant” for thousands of eligible candidates. Expressing deep disappointment, they questioned the fairness of forcing them to reappear for exams after already being appointed.

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