Shridhar Vyas| Jaipur5 hours ago
Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka and his team were beaten and chased away by villagers. Ranka had arrived on August 21 to inspect a government school in the Sitapur area of Jaipur.
It is alleged that the police deliberately remained oblivious. Meanwhile, CJP founder Abhijit Deepke has also warned of reaching Jaipur and staging a dharna if action is not taken within 48 hours.
Did the police really remain a silent spectator? Why is CJP increasing its focus so much in Rajasthan? Why was Rajasthan chosen for their school campaign? We will find out in today’s Rajasthan Explainer…
Question-1: Did the police deliberately let the CJP team get beaten?
Answer: CJP had announced the inspection of two government schools on social media on 20th August. After the beating incident, CJP claimed that the police had prior information about this, but did not reach the spot.
On CJP’s allegations, Shivdaspura SHO Rajesh Gautam says-
Villagers had persuaded and sent back CJP workers twice in the morning. Upon inquiry, it was found that there was a peaceful atmosphere there. After that, when the CJP team arrived again, the villagers got agitated and beat them up. By the time the police team reached the spot after receiving information about the incident, the CJP workers had already left from there.
Question-2: Is CJP appearing more active in Rajasthan? Answer: CJP appears to be active in Rajasthan both before and after the Jantar Mantar protest in Delhi.
The increasing tours of core team members point towards this…
Question-3: Why is CJP so focused on Rajasthan?
Answer: Immediately, 4 major reasons are visible…
1. Two important members of the core team are from Rajasthan
Ashutosh Ranka, an important member of CJP’s core team, was born in Jaipur. He did engineering from IIT Kanpur. He has completed a Master’s in Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
He has already worked on issues related to education and environment in Rajasthan. Therefore, he already has good input and feedback about the schools and education system here.
CJP core team member Deepak Balyan was born in Alwar. He has done a graduation in Political Science. He has good experience in grassroots mobilization, that is, organizing and gathering numbers at the ground level.
2. The most suitable location for ‘Fix the Schools’ campaign
Education Minister Madan Dilawar had given information about dilapidated government school buildings in the Assembly on 30th January. According to this, 3,768 school buildings were found dilapidated in the district-level survey. At that time, 2558 buildings were officially declared dilapidated.
While 41,178 schools were reported to need repair work. After this, some approvals and sanctions were also given.
- 611 government schools are such that they don’t even have a building. 10 girls’ schools are also included.
- CJP can succeed in reaching common people directly through this campaign. Because most children studying in government schools come from lower-middle-class families.
- Problems like school buildings, water, toilets, and teachers directly affect children and parents. The condition of schools in villages is worse compared to cities.
Cockroach Janata Party spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka announced the inspection of 2 schools in Jaipur on August 20.
3. Campaign triggered by government decisions
Amidst CJP’s campaign, the Directorate of Secondary Education imposed strict rules for outsiders.
Videography and photography without permission were banned in schools. This decision triggered CJP’s campaign.
CJP has put pressure on the government to withdraw this order as well. It has been announced to continue this campaign until schools are fixed in Rajasthan.
Education Minister Madan Dilawar said – It will be mandatory to take permission from parents before taking photos, videos, or bytes of minor students in schools.
4. BJP-ruled state, hopes for big campaign victory
After the Jantar Mantar protest in Delhi, CJP had announced to work like a pressure group. BJP is in power in Rajasthan. Ranka has been raising education-related issues for some time. He also has good and specific inputs related to this.
Questions have been raised about the condition of government schools not only in Rajasthan but across the country. Therefore, he has openly launched a front against the government.
If changes come to Rajasthan’s schools after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, this too will now be presented as a big victory for CJP.
Question 4: Why were the CJP team members beaten up when they went to raise the school issue?
Answer: The government primary school in Rampura-Kanwarpura village near Jaipur had become dilapidated. Considering safety, the children were shifted to another place under a tin shed. CJP had announced a visit to this school. Around 8 AM on 21 August, 4 CJP workers reached to inspect the school. Understand the sequence of events from this graphic…
Ranka alleged that the police had prior information, yet did not reach the spot. Ranka demanded the arrest of the accused within 48 hours and the withdrawal of the Education Department’s order banning videography/photography in schools without permission.
See the incident of assault on CJP workers through these pictures
This is the Government Primary School Rampura Kanwarpura in Sitapur. The school has been closed due to the building being dilapidated. Children are being taught at another location.
When CJP workers arrived in Rampura village after 8 AM on Friday, villagers pushed them out.
After this, the villagers put up barricades on the main road and then sat on a dharna (protest). They said that they would not allow outsiders to come to the village and do politics.
When Ashutosh Ranka, along with several of his workers, tried to enter the village, the villagers protested and started chasing them away.
The villagers beat and chased away CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka (in red circle) and his associates.
Villagers chased and beat several CJP workers.
Village women chased away CJP women workers by throwing mud at them.
Injury sustained on the hand of CJP worker Sanju Verma during the scuffle and beating.
