Lucknow: Having kickstarted its preparations for UP panchayat elections scheduled for next year, the Aam Aadmi Party organised its first major protest against the state govt on Wednesday. The protest addressed the issue of the proposed merger of council schools where student numbers are too few.The protest, organised across the state under the slogan ‘Madhushala Nahin, Pathshala Chahiye’ (no liquor shops, we want schools), aligned with the party’s objective to address issues affecting rural and marginalised communities in the state, who will be the main participants in the panchayat polls. The party plans to launch a mega membership drive in UP from July 11.Alleging that state govt’s proposal would deprive the rural population of cheap, accessible education, AAP has demanded that govt immediately withdraws the order to close schools. The party insists that govt should provide free education to children aged six to 14 as per the RTE Act. On Wednesday many protestors were detained in Lucknow.AAP’s Ayodhya region president Vinay Patel claimed that UP govt planned to open 27,000 liquor shops, while closing 27,000 govt schools.He stated that according to govt data, 42 lakh children dropped out of govt schools in four years. “According to a report by the ministry of education, 8 lakh children left govt schools in UP in one year, with 58,000 from Aligarh alone. The move govt has already closed down 26,000 schools, and now 27,000 more are shutting down, which will affect not only children but also impact the appointment of approximately 1.35 lakh assistant teachers, 27,000 principals and thousands of teaching assistants,” he said.
