The former West Bengal Education minister Partha Chatterjee was released on bail on Monday after jail time of more than two years in connection with the alleged school recruitment scam. The decision came as a result of the trials, the arguments, and also the people’s opinions which are greatly split. For many, this moment is not only a political turning point but also a significant emotional transition that has been felt by the whole of Bengal for quite some time.
Chatterjee at one time was dubbed as the closest and one of the most influential people of the Trinamool Congress. But after the Enforcement Directorate arrested him in July 2022, his fall from grace was total. The chain of events, in particular the finding of a huge amount of money from the house of his aide, made him the focus of debate, criticism, and unrelenting media attention. Thereafter, it was not a legal battle alone that ensued but also a fight in the public perception court.
The bail decision should not be seen as an end to the legal battle. There will indeed be more court hearings, investigations by the police will continue, and Chatterjee will have to follow the rules set by the court. Nevertheless, the importance of his return home after all these years goes beyond the literal sense – it concerns him, his family, and the political saga of Bengal.
On the bail news, the reaction outside the court was a mixture of positive and negative sentiments. The relief of those who were on the same side with him was visible, and they said that the bail is “a sign that justice takes its time and is not for headlines” that it is proof “justice is a process, not a headline.” On the contrary, the opponents claimed that the struggle for accountability is only at its dawn. This matter also reignited a new set of arguments in social media – some were sympathetic, some were skeptical and there were also some who expressed their exhaustion of this never-ending political drama.
Concerning the bail, it is largely a question of trust that is a matter of the average people of Bengal – trust in leaders, in institutions, and in justice. It is by no means certain that the bail solves all these problems, however, it does open up new discussions and possibly even new insights in the near future.
The real challenge for Partha Chatterjee is waiting for him not only in the court when he comes out but also in front of the public’s eyes and their memory.
