The Impressive TimesNEW DELHI,15 MAY :In a blistering rebuke to the silence of the Delhi Government, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has lambasted the BJP regime for abandoning its duty to protect schoolchildren, after Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka expelled 34 students for not paying hiked fees. The controversy, which has stunned parents across the capital, intensified after it emerged that the children were stopped at the school gate by security guards and forced to withdraw.
Slamming the inaction of the BJP-led government in Delhi, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal took to ‘X’ and questioned, “Where is the Delhi government? Why is it not taking action against these schools? Why is it not protecting the interests of parents and children? Why must parents run to courts to seek justice?”
Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly, Atishi, has written a strongly-worded letter to CM Rekha Gupta over this disturbing incident. She wrote, “There has been a shocking incident wherein DPS Dwarka has reportedly expelled 34 students for non-payment of increased annual school fees. Such an action by a private school is completely unacceptable.”
Drawing attention to the unimaginable trauma the children must be suffering, Atishi wrote, “Imagine the trauma that these young students — who were stopped at the school gate by additional security and forced to withdraw admission from school — must be going through. It should have been the prerogative of the Delhi Government to immediately take action against such schools when such an incident came to light. However, instead, the parents have been ultimately forced to knock on the doors of the court to seek justice for their children. What kind of precedence are we trying to set here?”
Contrasting the situation with the AAP government’s track record over the past decade, the Delhi Assembly LoP stated, “During the last 10 years when AAP was in power, we had never allowed any private school to increase fees unjustifiably, let alone striking off names of students. In fact, strong action was taken against private schools who had violated rules. This had given a clear message to these private school mafia that such incidents will not be tolerated.”
She went on to criticise the BJP’s handling of private school regulation since coming to power, “However, in the past 3 months, since BJP came to power, private schools have increased fees and charges in an arbitrary and uncontrolled manner. Despite repeated protests by parents, there has been no rollback of the fees or action against these schools. This complete lack of action has given courage to take such shocking action against students.”
On behalf of the students and parents of Delhi, I would request you to take the following steps immediately:
1. Take exemplary action against DPS Dwarka and give directions to immediately withdraw orders for expulsion of 34 students.
2. Directions for all private schools to put on hold by increased fees in academic year 2025-26, till an audit has been done of all the school accounts.
In a personal appeal, Atishi reminded the CM of her duty as both a mother and the head of the government: “Madam, humbly, being a mother yourself, you would understand the trauma such incidents can cause to these young children. You are the Chief Minister of Delhi; all the students studying in private schools are like your own children. Please take exemplary action against these private schools so that such incidents are not repeated in future.”
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