UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s public address following the inauguration of the Hindon elevated road on Friday has left many parents of Ghaziabad school students furious.
Parents told City Spidey that in his half an hour long address the chief minister failed to mention issues such as fee-hike in private schools, the pending school fee regulatory bill and the problems faced by parents of private school students.
A significant portion of CM Yogi’s speech was about efforts of the district administration in improving the condition of government schools. He also discussed an initiative undertaken by the state government which would transform 350 primary and junior schools in to model institutions. These schools would constitute of strong infrastructure, mid-day meal and other amenities.
Yogi had faced protests from parents of private school students in his previous visit to Ghaziabad around 8 months back on August 2017. The CM was in Ghaziabad to lay foundation stones for the Kailash Mansarovar Bhavan. He was about to deliver a speech at Kavi Nagar Ramlila Ground in Ghaziabad when a group of parents had emerged and held posters to display the arbitrariness of private schools in charging fees to draw his attention. The CM had taken cognizance of the parents’ issues and assured them of a solution.
Members of multiple parents’ groups had reached the Ramlila ground during Yogi’s speech. However, they were confronted by the police as soon as they reached the venue and were shown the way out.
“Eight months ago the CM promised us a solution but this time he forgot to even mention it. Every parent of children studying in private schools of UP are suffering due to the unchecked hike in fees. The local authorities have failed to enforce laws and now the CM himself has decided to remain mum over the issue. He could have assured us of passing the UP fee regulatory bill at least,” said Seema Tyagi, President of Ghaziabad Parents Association.
Seema maintained that she along with others were removed from the venue by the police. “I was there to see if the CM has anything to say about the fee issue but they removed me. I was asked to leave, we were not allowed to use our phones as well. Wonder why they feel so threatened by harmless parents?” Tyagi asked.
Similar views were shared by Shivani Jain, President of All School Parents Association who was also present at the venue of the CM’s public address. “I went there to submit a letter. I have not been involved in any protest. I had also informed the police and the local intelligence unit (LIU) about our association’s plan. But once I reached there, I along with others were pushed out of the venue. I was also told that I had fake passes. We later submitted our letter to an official of the district administration,” Jain said.
Police officials said that around 30 passes were recovered from a member of the parents association who was already inside the program venue. “The passes are not fake but are unauthorized. It means that the passes were not procured in a valid way. A single person carrying so many passes is suspicious. The passes were seized and we are investigating how they were procured,” said a senior official of Ghaziabad police.
