Latur: Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday called for the resignation of Maharashtra School Education Minister Dada Bhuse, while accusing the state government of neglecting government schools so badly that “even ministers’ dogs get better amenities than students”.
“It 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 said.
Infrastructure Collapse & Safety Issues
Addressing reporters, Dipke insisted that elected representatives and ministers must be answerable for the state of schools, many of which still operate without basic facilities like proper classrooms, benches, toilets and safe approach roads, as reported by The New Indian Express.
He alleged that students in some schools were being treated “worse than animals”.
Dipke, whose group rolled out the ‘School Thik Karo’ (fix government schools) campaign last week, inspected a Zilla Parishad school at Ujani village in Latur’s Ausa tehsil.
He also urged citizens to pressure political leaders to prioritise education before seeking electoral support.
‘Work For Schools First, Then Come For Votes’
“People 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 added.
“These 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 claimed.
Dipke said ministers and MLAs should enrol their own children in government schools to feel the difficulties students face.
‘Ten Years, No Repairs: What Have You Delivered?’
Asked whether Dada Bhuse should remain 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 schools.”
“Despite being in power for several years, the ruling dispensation had failed to bring about substantial changes in government schools,” Dipke charged.
“Students 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 said.
Citing reports of children allegedly dying of snakebites in schools, Dipke said such incidents laid bare the authorities’ failure to ensure safe access to education.
He also flagged unhygienic conditions at the school his team inspected, alleging that accumulated scrap and garbage behind the premises had created conditions favourable to snakes.
Dipke said the CJP’s school inspections had already pushed authorities to start repair work in some institutions.
Stressing that citizen involvement is vital to deepen democracy, he said people are beginning to raise their voices again.
“People 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 said.
On Gen Z’s concerns, Dipke noted that young voters will become a major electoral force by 2029, and parties will have to respond to their demands.
He warned that if the government does not upgrade public schools, large-scale protests could erupt across villages.
NEET Probe: Big Players Shielded
On the CBI investigation into the Latur NEET paper leak, Dipke alleged the probe is targeting small-time accused while protecting senior figures.
“It 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 lower-level persons and claiming action is not enough,” he said.