Turning up heat on the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena’s young wing president Aditya Thackeray on Saturday charged that the BJP-led saffron alliance Government had miserably failed to bring about changes in the education sector during the last two years in office.
Addressing a large rally of students after leading a “KG to PG Protest” organised to highlight what he termed a “mess” in the education sector in the State, Aditya said, “When the BJP-led Government took over the office in the State two years ago, I used to think it is our Government. But, with no change in the education sector, I took out today’s morcha. There is absolutely no difference between the earlier nalayak (useless) Governments and the current Government in the State”.
“After the new Government came into power, I had met State Education Minister Vinod Tawde. He had promised that he would look into all the issues relating to education sector I had taken up with him. But, the Minister has not kept his promises. I am wondering if I should settle down for “Allowed To Keep Terms’ system to have my various demands settled by Ministers,” the Yuva Sena chief said.
Aditya, who took out students’ morcha from Girgaum Chowpatty to Marine lines in south Mumbai, raised issues like exhorbitant school, donations, chaotic online admission process, private coaching and questionable goings-on in the Mumbai University administration.
Among other things, Aditya demanded to know as to when the Maharashtra Government would come out a much-needed legislation for Kinder-garden (KG admissions). “There are so many loopholes in the current KG admission system. For instance, I do not understand as to why parents have to be interviewed by the school management for KG admissions”.
“The secondary and higher secondary education is no better. For instance, a staggering 1.5 lakh students failed in the ninth standard exams in the State. There is no one to explain as to why it happened. Similarly, such is the sad state of affairs with the on-line admission system that two lakh students have not got admissions yet to junior colleges and other professional courses this year,” Aditya said.
Meanwhile, State Education Minister Vinod Tawde hit back at the Yuv Sena chief by saying: “I am wondering if the morcha was taken out to highlight the educational issues or to broaden the leader’s base among people”.