CJP 'School Thik Karo' campaign: ‘Ministers’ dogs get better facilities than students,’ says Abhijeet Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party CJP Convenor Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday said Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse should resign claiming that government schools are in a pitiable condition and that even ministers dogs get better facilities than studentsDipke whose group launched the School Thik Karo improve government schools campaign last week visited a zilla parishad school at Ujani village in Laturs Ausa tehsil news agency PTI reportedLater speaking to reporters he said elected representatives and ministers must be held accountable for the condition of schools many of which continue to lack basic facilities such as proper classrooms benches toilets and safe access roadsStudents in some schools were being treated worse than animals he allegedIt is a question of students lives When political leaders are not doing anything for students why should people vote for them Do people vote for them so that they can only travel in helicopters People should see in what conditions their children are studying The dogs of these ministers get better facilities than this he saidDipke also asked people to force the leaders of political parties to work for education first and then come to seek votesDipke urges leaders to prioritise education over politicsPeople should also tell the leaders coming to their village irrespective of political parties to work for education Tell them not to come for votes at our doorstep till they work for education For politics we come out of our homes with flags of caste and community Similarly we should come out for the schools of our children he addedThese people keep saying that religion is in danger The religion did not end in so many years and it is coming to an end in your tenure The religion will not go anywhere but the future of kids can get affected he claimedDipke said ministers and legislators should send their own children to government schools to understand the problems faced by students thereAsked whether Bhuse should continue as school education minister he said The condition of schools makes me feel that the education minister should not continue in the post If the government wants to understand the urgency of improving government schools ministers and elected representatives should send their own children to study in these schoolsDespite being in power for several years the ruling dispensation had failed to bring about substantial changes in government schools Dipke chargedStudents are still studying in schools with leaking tin roofs and without adequate benches If these basic problems could not be resolved in 10 years the government must explain what it has achieved he saidCJP locals to push for safer transport and better school facilitiesThe CJP and local residents would raise their voice collectively over the problems affecting schools and press the government to provide safe transport facilities to students who have to walk several kilometres to school he saidReferring to reports of children allegedly dying of snakebites in schools Dipke said such incidents exposed the failure of the authorities to ensure safe access to educationHe also expressed concern over unhygienic conditions at the school inspected here earlier by the CJP team alleging that accumulated scrap and garbage behind the premises had created conditions conducive to the presence of snakesDipke said the CJPs inspections had already prompted authorities to begin some work in schoolsPublic participation was essential to strengthen democracy he saidPeople have begun finding their voice again More organisations and movements should emerge in a democracy The more people come forward and speak the stronger our democracy will become he saidlsquoWidespread protests could emergersquo Dipke warns govt over school conditionsCommenting on the concerns of Gen Z Dipke said young people would form a significant electoral force by the 2029 elections and political parties would have to address their issuesThe government must also work for the younger generation currently studying in schools he said warning that young voters would hold governments accountable if their concerns were ignoredTo a query Dipke said widespread protests could emerge across villages if the government failed to improve the condition of public schoolsMeanwhile on the CBI probe into the NEET paper leak case in Latur Dipke alleged that the investigation appeared to be focused on lowerlevel accused while attempts were being made to shield bigger personsIt is difficult to believe that such a case could have taken place without the involvement of senior officials in the system Merely arresting a few lowerlevel persons and claiming action is not enough he saidWith PTI inputs