The Manohar lal Khattar Government’s vows to promote quality education and safe learning environment for girls seems to be failing the reality test, at least in Rewari’s Suma Khera village.
Even after the assurance of two Cabinet Ministers to upgrade a Government primary school to the senior secondary school to ensure education and safe environment to the girls of this village, the State Government has failed to deliver on its promise in the past two months, irking the villagers to hold a protest.
The village has been in the news ever since its residents stopped sending the girls to school in lala village following the alleged rape of a girl en route to the school in April this year.
The villagers of Suma Khera village have now locked up the government primary school and are staging a sit-in demonstration against the BJP led Haryana Government.
The State PWD (public works department) Minister Rao Narbir Singh and Minister of State for Cooperation, Bikram Singh Yadav had assured the villagers in the month of May to upgrade the school to senior secondary level to ensure education of the girls of the village in a safe environment.
However, even after repeated requests put up by the villagers at the district level, the Ministers’ promise has failed to materialise.
According to the villagers, the future of about 370 students including 120 girls from the village are in jeopardy now as they have not enrolled themselves in other schools following the Government’s announcement to upgrade the primary school to senior secondary.
At the time when the State Government is pushing its ambitious ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ project, the tale of this village is a grim reminder of Government’s apathy in dealing with sensitive issues.
The residents of Suma Khera have now threatened the Haryana Government to fulfil its promise otherwise they would reach out to other villages and start a campaign against the Government.
A memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Manohar lal was also submitted to the Deputy Commissioner Rewari on Tuesday while a mahapanchayat of 21 villages have been called on Wednesday to discuss the issue and decide the future course of action.
“We have decided to continue our protest till our demands are fulfilled by the State Government. A mahapanchayat of 21 villages will be held on Wednesday to discuss the issue,” said Urmila, sarpanch of Suma Khera village while talking to The Pioneer over phone.
She said that the school has been locked down and would be opened only after receiving a letter of upgradation from the State Government. About 413 children study in this school, she said.
“After the announcement of Government to upgrade the school to senior secondary level, around 370 students including 120 girls from VI to XII have not enrolled themselves in any other school.