Parents Protest Against BJP’s School Fee Bill in Delhi, AAP Joins the Fight

A large number of parents gathered near the Delhi Assembly at Chandgi Ram Akhada on Tuesday to protest against the school fee bill introduced by the BJP government. Holding posters with slogans like “Roll Back Fee Hike” and “School Is Not a Business,” the parents demanded that the bill be withdrawn. They also called for the resignation of Education Minister Ashish Sood. The protest, organized under the banner of United Parents Voice, included a signature campaign and received full support from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj joining the demonstrators.

Bharadwaj: No Audit Clause in Bill, 15% Parent Condition Unfair

Speaking at the protest, Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the proposed law related to school fees in private schools. He pointed out that the government made no consultation with the parents for whom the law is being created. Parents demanded that private schools be audited. Though the BJP government claimed all schools had been audited, the new bill does not mention any provision for audits. Furthermore, it requires that a minimum of 15% of parents must agree before a complaint can be filed against a school. For instance, if a school has 3,000 students, at least 450 parents would need to sign before lodging a complaint.

‘How Can a Committee Fix Fees Without Audited Accounts?’ Asks AAP

Bharadwaj questioned how any committee could determine school fees without access to a Chartered Accountant or audited financial records. If teachers ask for a salary increase, what role can parents play in that decision? A simple solution, he said, would be for the government to audit all 1,677 private schools in Delhi annually and make the reports public. This would help parents know whether a school is making a profit or a loss, and fee changes could then be justified. According to him, the BJP government’s bill introduces unnecessary committees only to benefit private school owners and the wealthy, and it directly targets the middle class.

AAP’s Amendments Will Test BJP’s Stand in Assembly

Bharadwaj mentioned that the Aam Aadmi Party had submitted several amendments to the bill, including removing the clause that requires 15% parental consent to lodge complaints. Now, all eyes are on the BJP legislators to see whether they support or oppose these proposed amendments in the Assembly. If BJP MLAs vote against the changes, it would clearly indicate their alignment with private school owners. The people of Delhi, he said, are watching the BJP’s next move closely.