West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee ripped into the BJP on Tuesday over the Calcutta High Court’s judgment on Monday that cancelled the appointment of 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff in the state’s schools in 2016, contending that the party controlled the courts and holding it responsible for the loss of livelihood of thousands of people.

“How many jobs have you provided to the youths? Ask Modi Babu (Narendra Modi) where his promise of 2 crore jobs per year has gone? India has the highest unemployment rate in their rule. Ask BJP, have you provided a single job so far? Instead you are out to terminate jobs using a court that functions under your control,” said Miss Banerjee while addressing an election rally here this afternoon. Referring to Monday’s verdict, Miss Banerjee charged that the court acted under the diktat of the BJP, linking BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s warning on Saturday of an ‘explosion’ that would shake the government to the High Court judgment.

She said: “I don’t need to name a judge but it’s a fact that the court acts under your control and its one-sided judgment matched the prediction of your man.” Addressing the judges who passed the order, she asked: “Would you maintain the same order had your son been one of those who were working in these posts? Would you take responsibility if a candidate commits suicide? You are enjoying government facilities, security guards, but you are asking the teachers to pay back eight year’s salary at one go?” Miss Banerjee promised those affected by the court judgment that she would fight for them to the best of her ability. Mamata Banerjee was campaigning at Eruar High School ground here in the agricultural bowl of East Burdwan for Trinamul candidates Kirti Azad and Dr Sharmila Sarkar nominated for the BardhamanDurgapur and Bardhaman Purba seats.

She rubbished Dilip Ghosh, the BJP candidate for BardhamanDurgapur, saying: “What a badmouth man he is? Have you heard his speeches?” Shifting her sights back on Suvendu Adhikari, she said: “You’ve eaten up the jobs of 26,000 teachers. Now will the BJP cadres join in the vacant posts to teach the pupils in the schools? You’ve gained enough money and muscle and bombs, and to avoid action by CBI, ED, NIA, you’ve taken shelter in the BJP but I warn you, this won’t last long.” She made a harsh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his colleagues and asked voters not to press the lotus button this time. She said: “If this man continues in the office, he’ll end the country’s Parliamentary democracy. These people want to kill everyone or put them behind the bars for speaking against them.”