More than 25,000 teachers and non-teaching staff lost their jobs last week following a Supreme Court order. Hundreds of them walked from Sealdah to Esplanade on Thursday afternoon to register their protest and anger against Wednesday’s police lathicharge on them.

Many shared their helplessness and family responsibilities, and others complained about why the list of “deserving” and “undeserving” candidates was not being published.

Metro reproduces their accounts.

Somnath Chatterjee, 42,
from Katwa, East Burdwan

Taught at: Saktipur K.M.C Institution, Murshidabad

Why am I angry?

On Thursday, the issue at the DI office in Kasba could have been sorted out verbally, there was no need for such forceful police action. We have already lost everything, and now they are beating us. The police could have handled it more softly. We don’t deserve to be treated in such a way. I have a four-year-old daughter who is autistic. I am clueless about how I will pay her physiotherapy bills now.

Sreemanta Kanji, 35,
from Paskura, East Midnapore

Taught at: Lakshyakuri High School (East Midnapore)

Why am I angry?

Why is SSC not revealing the mirror image of our OMR sheets? We are deserving candidates. The truth that we are deserving will come out only when the SSC comes out with the mirror image of our OMR sheets. This cannot go on. Someone has to protest against this corruption.

Saikat Mondol, 36,
from Howrah

Taught at: Salipur High School, Haroa, North 24-Parganas

Why am I angry?

We accept that the Supreme Court has given its verdict. But what was the hurry? Even though they had the list of deserving and undeserving teachers, why did they not investigate a bit more?

Priyanka Dey, 36,
from Habra, North 24-Parganas

Taught at: Kalinagar
Dwarikanath Institution High School (Kakdwip)

Why am I angry?

I could not sit back and watch the torture being inflicted on my colleagues. Is this what we deserve after such qualifications? How are we asked to do “voluntary service”? Did we study so much to join voluntary services?

Deblina Kar, 36,
from Uluberia, Howrah

Taught at: Amta Balika Vidyalaya

Why am I angry?

Even after qualifying BEd and serving for seven years, why must we prove ourselves again? What is the point? Even if we appear for the exam again, what is the assurance that there will be no scam again? Is this what we deserve? To get beaten up by cops? The police brutality that happened at the DI office in Kasba is unacceptable.