Former Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Senior BJP MP Jyotirmoy Singh Mahato has raised concerns about the security of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with a recruitment scam involving the School Service Commission (SSC).
Mr. Mahato also sought dissolution of the SSC alleging corruption in it is institutionalised.
The BJP leader has written letters to the Prime Minister’s Office, Union Home Ministry, and West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose, urging them to ensure the safety of Chatterjee, citing fears that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) may try to “silence him for good”.
In his letter, Mr. Mahato expressed concerns regarding Chatterjee’s security, especially after the former Minister was transferred from the State-run SSKM Hospital to a private facility.
Chatterjee was admitted to the SSKM Hospital on January 20 after he complained of breathing problems in prison. An ED court on January 28 allowed him to be shifted to a private hospital.
“I have written letters to PMO, HMO and West Bengal governor to ensure the safety and security of Partha Chatterjee. The state government-run SSKM hospital, a safe haven for TMC leaders linked to criminal activities, is no longer a secure place for him.
“I have received information from reliable sources that when the case is about to reach its conclusion, TMC is trying to remove Partha Chatterjee permanently and silence him for good,” he told reporters quoting his letter on Tuesday.
Chatterjee, who has been in jail since 2022 after his arrest in the SSC scam in July that year, was put on oxygen support at a private hospital in Mukundapur area of Kolkata on January 30.
Mahato also demanded the dissolution of the SSC which, he claimed is a “failed institution”.
“The SSC has consistently worked against the interests of job aspirants. It is inefficient and its existence is meaningless. The commission has been a failed institution, not just under the TMC government but even during the Left regime. The roots of corruption are so deep that curing it seems impossible,” he said.
The BJP leader suggested that an expert committee be formed to oversee recruitment processes and ensure justice for qualified job aspirants.
He said, “The corruption within the SSC is institutionalised, and it is crucial that the commission is disbanded to ensure justice for qualified candidates.” In response, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee called the accusations unfounded and a result of ignorance.
Banerjee said, “What else can one expect from a person like him? Can the SSC be dismantled? If Partha Chatterjee needs security, let the central agencies provide it.”
Published – February 12, 2025 09:39 am IST
