DEHRADUN:

Following citizen-led audits of government schools in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has officially expanded its aggressive grassroots initiative—the "School Theek Karo" (Fix the Schools) campaign—to Uttarakhand. The party has targeted the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led BJP government, demanding official clarification and transparency regarding the closure of hundreds of educational institutions.

Shreshth Singh, the North Zone Coordinator of the CJP, addressed the media on Sunday, highlighting critical systemic flaws in the hill state's public education infrastructure. According to Singh, over 826 primary schools have been shut down across Uttarakhand in the past five years alone, even as a large number of teacher vacancies remain unfilled.

Highlighting the grim reality of remote areas, Singh alleged, "As many as 270 schools lack even drinking water facilities. In many schools across the hill districts, children are deprived of teachers and basic amenities." He further questioned the glaring disparity in infrastructure and resources between state-run government institutions and private schools.

The 10-Day Ultimatum and Key Demands

The CJP has formally slapped a 10-day ultimatum on the state administration. The party warned that if the government fails to address their grievances and provide satisfactory answers by the deadline, they will launch widespread peaceful democratic protests across the state after October 2.

Furthermore, the party announced that if accountability is not established, they will actively demand the resignation of Uttarakhand Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat.

The CJP’s detailed charter of demands submitted to the administration includes:

  • White Paper on Closed Schools: Release a comprehensive report detailing school-wise enrollment figures, teacher strengths, available facilities, reasons for closure, local population demographics, and the distance children must now travel to reach the nearest alternative school.

  • Uttarakhand Education Roadmap: A 10-day deadline-bound framework outlining district-wise execution plans to guarantee basic amenities such as functional teachers, clean drinking water, clean toilets, safe buildings, and electricity.

  • Student Transport System: Safe and regular transport options, including school buses or mini-buses, particularly for children residing in isolated hilly and remote terrain.

The CJP maintains that if the government fails to lay out a transparent action plan within the stipulated window, public outrage will manifest into massive democratic agitations across Uttarakhand.