To Benefit Private School Owners, BJP Govt Secretly Brought Law: Saurabh Bharadwaj

New Delhi: Calling out a scripted collapse of the BJP’s much-touted Private School Fee Control Act, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Rekha Gupta government and the private school lobby together staged a drama in court before surrendering outright, exposing the law as a cover to legitimise steep fee hikes rather than rein them in.

What AAP Delhi Unit Chief said?

The AAP Delhi Unit Chief said that private schools raised fees by 20 to 80 percent the moment the BJP came to power, parents were misled with the promise of regulation when they protested, and a law was quietly pushed through without consultation or debate, even as the very private school Action Committee that challenged it in court is headed by the BJP’s own Delhi teachers’ cell president, making it “laughable” that the Education Minister is still projecting a law incapable of reducing increased fees as a victory for parents.

What allegations senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj made on BJP govt?

Addressing a press conference at the AAP headquarters on Tuesday, senior AAP leader and Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “After 27 years, the moment the BJP government led by Rekha Gupta was formed in Delhi and Ashish Sood was made Education Minister, it was as if private school owners won a lottery. Almost all private schools increased their fees by 20 percent to 80 percent as soon as the government was formed, creating chaos across Delhi.”

The AAP Delhi Unit Chief pointed out, “Parents across the city were forced to come out on the streets in protest. Parents staged sit-ins and demonstrations, met Ashish Sood and Rekha Gupta, and protests even took place inside the Secretariat.”

He said that when confronted with widespread anger, the BJP government claimed it would introduce a strong law to regulate school fees. “The government said it was bringing a wonderful law to control fees, but this law was drafted secretly. Normally, any law is put on the website to seek public opinion and consultations are held with stakeholders, but nothing like that was done. This law was quietly brought to the Assembly, passed without any discussion, and imposed on the people of Delhi,” Saurabh Bharadwaj said. 

The AAP Delhi State President added that AAP had immediately warned that the law was not meant to protect children. “We had clearly said that this law was not for children but to fill the pockets of the private school lobby and wealthy businessmen, and Rekha Gupta went on to describe this as a master stroke,” he said.

Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the Supreme Court of India itself questioned the BJP government’s intent. “The Supreme Court asked the government why there was such haste in bringing this law and why it was introduced without proper thought. Faced with this, the government surrendered in court, and its collusion with private school owners stood fully exposed,” he said. 

He said the BJP government made a crucial admission before the court. “The government clearly told the court that the fee hikes imposed for the 2025–2026 academic session, which began on 1 April 2025, would not be reviewed under this law and that the law would not apply to those increased fees,” he said.

By doing so, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, the government had legalised arbitrary fee hikes. “Through this admission, the government gave legal protection to the 20 percent to 80 percent arbitrary fee hikes imposed by private schools. Now no parent, and not even a court, can challenge these fees. The BJP government has ensured a complete windfall for private schools,” he said.

Responding to the Education Minister’s statements, Saurabh Bharadwaj said Ashish Sood’s remarks were deeply shocking. “The Education Minister’s behaviour is like a surgeon taking a patient into the operation theatre, killing him, and then coming out to congratulate everyone that it was a historic day and a great victory,” he said.

What questions he raised on BJP govt's claims?  

Questioning the BJP government’s claims, he added, “When the government itself has admitted in court that its law does not apply to the increased fees, how can this possibly be called a victory for parents? Fees have been increased and are being collected since 1 April 2025, and the minister is projecting this as his achievement.”

Saurabh Bharadwaj said the narrative that private schools had challenged the law was itself misleading. “This so-called challenge was a completely collusive case. In a collusive suit, both sides secretly reach an understanding and then approach the court so that the outcome benefits both,” he said. 

He explained that the case was filed by BJP office-bearers themselves. “BJP’s own office-bearers filed a case in the Supreme Court challenging their own government’s law, after which the government surrendered in court saying it would not implement the law. The BJP has pulled off an extraordinary act and is treating lakhs of people as fools,” he said, clarifying that the case was filed by the Non-Aided Recognised Public Schools Action Committee.

Explaining the background of the Action Committee, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “This Action Committee represents non-aided recognised public schools. In April 2025, almost a year ago, I held a press conference where I showed that the chairman of this committee is Bharat Arora.” 

He said Bharat Arora holds key positions within the BJP. “Bharat Arora is the chairman, head and president of the BJP Delhi unit’s education cell and is also a member of the Delhi executive. He is a well-known figure in Delhi’s private school lobby. Those involved in this litigation are part of the BJP’s Delhi executive and also head its academic cell. Bharat Arora is the chairman of this Action Committee as well as the Mount Abu Group of Schools, and he also runs his own schools.”

Saurabh Bharadwaj said that visual evidence further exposed the link. “On 19 February, before the elections, Bharat Arora was campaigning with Rekha Gupta in her Shalimar Bagh constituency, wearing a stole bearing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s name. He has been seen at his home hoisting the BJP flag,” he said. 

The AAP Delhi Unit Chief added, “The person who filed the case and forced the government to surrender is Bharat Arora. In a photograph from around 5 February, the BJP’s lotus election symbol is clearly visible along with his full profile, identifying him as a state executive member and convenor of the education cell.”

Showing another photograph, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “Before the elections, Bharat Arora was present at an election meeting with BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal, with a board visible behind them. This is the same Bharat Arora who was the chairman of the Action Committee.” He added that Bharat Arora has also been seen with the Chief Minister. “This is not some distant association. He is their own man and meets them regularly. Even early in the morning on 5 February, Bharat Arora was seeking votes for the BJP,” he said.

Referring to Bharat Arora’s social media profile, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “There is a poster on his profile which at the bottom reads ‘Convenor, Teachers Cell, Bharatiya Janata Party, Delhi Pradesh,’ and at the top reads ‘Chairman, Joint Action Committee Private Schools’. This is the real face of the BJP,” he said.

Concluding, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The truth is out in the open and it must be taken to the people. The president of the BJP Delhi Pradesh education cell is himself the chairman of the Joint Action Committee of private schools. The same person goes to the Supreme Court demanding that the government’s law should not be implemented. The government then surrenders in court saying it will not be enforced. After all this, the Education Minister claims this is a historic victory for Delhi’s parents, which is extremely surprising.”