West Bengal Police have found a bad plan to start big trouble at a teachers’ rally, police said today. This worrying find comes as many teachers plan to gather in the state capital. They want more money and better work conditions. Police say they have caught some people linked to this plan. The plan was to stop the quiet rally and make a big mess in the city. Police acted fast and stopped what could have been a very bad situation. They kept the people at the rally and everyone else safe. This action shows a serious try to cause harm and stop people from speaking out.
Police Uncover Alleged Plans
Authorities in West Bengal have brought to light an alleged plan to cause disorder during a planned protest by teachers. The Bidhannagar City Police stated that a group of teachers, identified as the Chakrihara Yogya Shiksha Mancha, had intentions to incite violence. This was meant to happen during their march to the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) headquarters, scheduled for Monday, August 18, 2025. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar, Anish Sarkar, provided details on Sunday, August 17, 2025, detailing these alleged plans. As part of the evidence, Mr. Sarkar publicly released an audio recording. This recording, he explained, contained conversations between two individuals who were reportedly discussing ways to stir up violence during the upcoming march. The police have officially registered a complaint regarding this matter. Mr. Sarkar urged those who planned to take part in the protest march to be aware of this alleged conspiracy. He also noted that one of the protest organizers, Sumon Biswas, had sent an email requesting police permission for the rally. this permission was not granted. Police officials have stated that they have gathered details suggesting a plot to create widespread trouble and confusion in West Bengal. They believe this plot involves using the strong feelings of anger among ordinary people who are protesting.
Why Teachers Are Protesting
The teachers involved in the planned rally are part of a larger group who lost their jobs. This situation came about after a Supreme Court order on April 3, 2025. The court cancelled the appointments of about 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff. These appointments were made as part of the 2016 recruitment process by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC). The Supreme Court set aside the entire recruitment panel from that year. Since then, thousands of these teachers have been actively protesting, demanding that their jobs be given back to them. They have also asked the state government to take necessary legal steps to ensure their re-employment. Some teachers have formed new groups, like ‘The West Bengal Untainted Teachers’ Association’, to push for their rights, especially for those who believe they were appointed fairly. They have held various forms of protest, including sit-ins and marches. A key demand from many protesting teachers is for the release of their Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets. They believe this would help identify those who were genuinely selected based on merit.
Details of the Recruitment Scam
The reason behind these widespread job cancellations is a major recruitment scam that involved significant irregularities. The Supreme Court found that the 2016 recruitment process for teachers and non-teaching staff was “vitiated and tainted by fraud.” This means the court found the process to be corrupted and unfair. The irregularities included things like manipulation of OMR sheets, which are answer sheets used in multiple-choice exams. There were also instances of people getting higher ranks than they deserved, which is known as rank-jumping. These issues led to the employment of both teaching and non-teaching staff through unfair means. The scam has had a wide impact. In July 2022, the former Education Minister, Partha Chatterjee, was arrested in connection with this scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which also looked into the matter, filed charges against Mr. Chatterjee and others. The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had stated that the teachers lost their jobs due to a conspiracy. She also said that her government provides jobs. others take them away.
Police Actions and Safety Steps
Following the discovery of the alleged plot, the police have intensified their efforts to maintain law and order, especially around protest areas. Security arrangements for rallies have been increased, with large numbers of police officers being deployed. For example, for a protest march in Kolkata, more than 6,000 police personnel were planned for deployment. 19 points were identified for setting up barricades. This shows the scale of police preparations to manage large gatherings and prevent any breakdown of peace. The police have also set up barricades at various locations to control movement and prevent protesters from reaching restricted areas. In some instances, traffic movement on major bridges was completely stopped to ensure security. Police officials have stated that strict action will be taken against anyone who breaks rules or restrictions during protests. In past situations where protests turned violent, police have used force to disperse crowds. Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma stated that actions like baton charges, which were seen in previous protests, are “not desirable.” But, he also suggested that police were sometimes forced to act due to unprovoked attacks by protesters. Police have reported injuries to their personnel in such clashes.
Different Views on the Situation
The alleged plot and the ongoing teachers’ protests have drawn various reactions from different groups.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar, Anish Sarkar, has directly appealed to those planning to join the rally, asking them to be mindful of the alleged conspiracy to incite violence.
But, Sumon Biswas, one of the protest organizers, has strongly denied the police’s claims. He stated that the protest march has no connection with any plans for violence.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed sympathy for the teachers who lost their jobs. She also urged them to have faith in the government and end their protests, stating that her government is filing a review petition in the Supreme Court to address their situation. She emphasized that her government would work to protect their jobs. The Chief Minister has also alleged that “more outsiders” were present in the protests than actual teachers. She stressed that public roads should not be blocked or people harmed by force.
The state Education Minister, Bratya Basu, has also confirmed that the government stands with the teachers and is working to help them. He requested that the protesting teachers avoid any actions that might weaken the government’s review petition in the Supreme Court. Some teachers have voiced concerns about trusting the government, especially given past incidents where protests led to clashes with the police.
A new organization, ‘The West Bengal Untainted Teachers’ Association’, has distanced itself from other protesting groups. A member of this new group, Mehboob Mondal, claimed that despite not being present during a past clash at Bikash Bhavan, one of their members was named in a police report, suggesting a “vindictive attitude” from the administration.
Earlier Protests and Clashes
The current situation is not the first time teachers’ protests in West Bengal have seen tensions rise. In the past, several gatherings and marches organized by protesting teachers have led to confrontations. For instance, on April 10, 2025, after a Supreme Court verdict impacted their jobs, close to 1,000 school staff held a large rally in Kolkata. This rally saw participation from doctors and people from other fields who came to show their support. During this protest, some teachers and non-teaching staff clashed with police outside the office of the district inspector of schools in the Kasba area. Police reportedly used batons to break up the crowd. some protesters alleged they were kicked. Police stated that their personnel were injured in these incidents and that they were forced to use “mild force” to disperse the crowds and prevent further harm. Another incident occurred on May 15, when a protest by the Deserving Teachers Rights’ Forum outside the West Bengal Education Department headquarters at Bikash Bhawan turned violent, leading to clashes with police and several injuries. These past events highlight a pattern of confrontation during the teachers’ long-running protest for their jobs. 
