New Delhi, Jun 21 (PTI) The Congress slammed the BJP government in Chhattisgarh on Saturday for allegedly shutting down more than 10,000 schools and abolishing 45,000 teachers’ posts, and accused it of playing with the future of the state’s children.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and Chhattisgarh MLA Devendra Yadav claimed that under the “so-called rationalisation policy”, the BJP government has closed down 10,643 schools in the state.
He claimed that not only the teachers’ posts, those of the supporting staff will also be abolished.
Yadav said this will make schooling difficult for young children, a large number of whom will now have to travel a distance of about five kilometres to go to school. Earlier, the schools were in their neighbourhoods or within walking distance from their homes, the Congress leader said.
He noted that this decision of the government will also disturb the teacher-student ratio in the state as there will be less teachers available to teach.
“The BJP government in the state is playing with the future of the youngsters and children of the state, which the Congress party will not accept,” Yadav said.
The Chhattisgarh government has implemented a new policy — the “Rationalisation Policy — he said, adding that through this policy, 10,643 schools have been closed down. With the closure of these schools, about 45,000 teachers’ posts will be abolished, he claimed.
Yadav claimed that before coming to power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used to say in its “Modi ki Guarantee” manifesto that as soon as its government is formed, 35,000 teachers will be recruited, because about 68,000 posts are vacant.
The Congress leader claimed that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh has proved to be a complete failure. He also alleged an “open and blatant loot of natural resources, which are being handed over to private players”.
Law and order, he claimed, has completely collapsed in Chhattisgarh and the state, which was known as an “island of peace”, has now become unsafe under the saffron party’s rule. Yadav further claimed that even journalists were threatened and intimidated and their entry in government hospitals was banned.
“Chhattisgarh is called the ‘island of peace’. People in the state live with a lot of love and affection. But ever since the BJP government has come to power in Chhattisgarh, law and order has collapsed in the state,” he alleged.
The Congress legislator also alleged rampant “tax terrorism” in the state as GST officials, he claimed, are resorting to “extortion” of traders and businessmen.
“It is like a return to the British-era inspector raj in the state,” he said. PTI SKC RC
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