Mamata Banerjee on Monday mocked Suvendu Adhikari — albeit without naming him — repeatedly in the Assembly as she broached the subject of alleged graft in the hiring of teachers in the Trinamul Congress regime, demanding answers on the future of thousands who stood the risk of being rendered unemployed because of judicial intervention.

The Bengal chief minister kept referring to the BJP leader as Dadamoni — in Bengali, it is usually a term of endearment for elder brother; he often refers to her as Didimoni, a similar term for elder sister.

She wondered what would happen if thousands who lost jobs because of judicial intervention gheraoed the homes of the BJP’s elected representatives.

“Dadamoni boasts that he will snatch jobs of 17,000 people…. If these youths lose their jobs, those who were given the jobs by Dadamoni, what will happen to them? In Midnapore, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, Purulia… those he got jobs there, what will happen to them?” asked Mamata, to loud protests from BJP MLAs led by Adhikari who is the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly.

Mamata went on.

“They are jumping about, filing cases against (education minister) Partha Chatterjee. The MPs and MLAs of the BJP will not be spared either then…. What if these thousands surround your homes?” she asked.

The BJP members staged a walkout in protest, accusing the chief minister of provoking violence against the party’s elected representatives.

“Will Dadamoni respond? You will benefit from being in the government, and you will benefit from being in the BJP?” asked Mamata, in a clear response to Adhikari, a former minister in her cabinet.

There were several recent instances of intervention by Calcutta High Court in connection with alleged illegal recruitment of teachers for Classes IX and X and Group C and D staff at secondary schools. Many such appointments are being probed by the CBI under court orders.

Adhikari has been vocal, along with others in his party, in criticism of the state government and Mamata’s party over the alleged corruption in the recruitment processes.

Suvendu Adhikari.

“While creating lakhs of jobs, there could be 50-100 cases…. While trying to get things done, mistakes are made. There has to be an opportunity to rectify those mistakes…. Lofty claims being made, threatening with central probe agencies,” said the chief minister.

“We do not snatch people’s jobs, we give jobs. You move courts and get people’s jobs taken from them… you do not give jobs,” she added.

Adhikari later said if any evidence was furnished against him, he would quit politics.

“First of all, she could have been referring to her own elder brother. Because I am 17 years younger than her. If at all, I am a younger brother,” said the Nandigram MLA later.

“They are simply trying to malign me, misusing my name to protect themselves from the taint,” he added.