CJP’s Abhijeet Dipke announces new campaign: ‘Adivasi School Thik Karo’

Dipke said his team would visit tribal schools in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat and other parts of the country, and document the facilities available to students.

2 min readUpdated: Sep 16, 2026 08:32 PM IST

Abhijeet Dipke adivasi school thik karo campaign

Abhijeet Dipke announced 'Adivasi School Thik Karo' campaign (Express File Photo by Dhananjau Khedkar)

Activist Abhijeet Dipke of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has launched a campaign titled ‘Adivasi School Thik Karo’ to highlight concerns over the condition of schools, availability of teachers, and basic educational facilities in tribal areas.

Announcing the campaign in Nagpur on Wednesday, September 16, Dipke said his team would visit tribal schools in Maharashtra, including Gadchiroli, as well as Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat and other parts of the country, and document the facilities available to students.

Coming on the heels of CJP’s ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign, aimed at improving the condition of schools across the country, Dipke said the ‘Adivasi School Thik Karo’ will initially focus on basic infrastructure, as he cited instances where classrooms meant for anganwadis were allegedly being used to conduct school classes.

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Raising concerns over the deaths of tribal students, Abhijeet Dipke claimed that more than 590 Adivasi students in Maharashtra had lost their lives over the past two years, with Balaghat registering over 30 student deaths in the past three months.

He attributed some deaths to incidents such as food poisoning, snakebites and inadequate access to medical facilities, and questioned the compensation provided to families of deceased students.

“Is Rs 2-4 lakh or even compensation in the form of cattle enough as ex-gratia for the death of a child?” he asked.

Speaking on the implementation of the Eklavya Model Residential Schools programme, Dipke claimed only 477 schools are functional even as the government sanctioned more than 700 buildings. Of the functional schools, only 340 had permanent buildings, he said.

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He further claimed that more than 2,800 posts remained vacant, and questioned the deployment of teachers for non-teaching duties, particularly election work. “If teachers do the election duty, then who will teach the students?” he asked.

“Our agenda is simple — make schools better. This is a marginalised community, and our only agenda is to uplift it,” he said.

Ankita Deshkar

Ankita Deshkar is a Deputy Copy Editor and a dedicated fact-checker at The Indian Express. Based in Maharashtra, she specializes in bridging the gap between technical complexity and public understanding. With a deep focus on Cyber Law, Information Technology, and Public Safety, she leads "The Safe Side" series, where she deconstructs emerging digital threats and financial scams. Ankita is also a certified trainer for the Google News Initiative (GNI) India Training Network, specializing in online verification and the fight against misinformation. She is also an AI trainer with ADiRA (AI for Digital Readiness and Advancement) Professional Background & Expertise Role: Fact-checker & Deputy Copy Editor, The Indian Express Experience: Started working in 2016 Ankita brings a unique multidisciplinary background to her journalism, combining engineering logic with mass communication expertise. Her work often intersects regional governance, wildlife conservation, and digital rights, making her a leading voice on issues affecting Central India, particularly the Vidarbha region. Key focus areas include: Fact-Checking & Verification: As a GNI-certified trainer, she conducts workshops on debunking deepfakes, verifying viral claims, and using OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) tools. Cyber Law & IT: With postgraduate specialization in Cyber Law, she decodes the legalities of data privacy, digital fraud, and the evolving landscape of intellectual property rights. Public Safety & Health: Through her "The Safe Side" column, she provides actionable intelligence on avoiding "juice jacking," "e-SIM scams," and digital extortion. Regional Reporting: She provides on-ground coverage of high-stakes issues in Maharashtra, from Maoist surrenders in Gadchiroli to critical healthcare updates and wildlife-human conflict in Nagpur. Education & Credentials Ankita is currently pursuing her PhD in Mass Communication and Journalism, focusing on the non-verbal communication through Indian classical dance forms. Her academic foundation includes: MA in Mass Communication (RTM Nagpur University) Bachelors in Electrical Engineering (RTM Nagpur University) Post Graduate Diploma (PGTD) in Cyber Law and Information Technology Specialization in Intellectual Property Rights Recent Notable Coverage Ankita’s reportage is recognized for its investigative depth and emphasis on accountability: Cyber Security: "Lost money to a scam? Act within the 'golden hour' or risk losing it all" — A deep dive into the critical window for freezing fraudulent transactions. Public Health: "From deep coma to recovery: First fully recovered Coldrif patient discharged" — Investigating the aftermath of pharmaceutical toxins and the healthcare response. Governance & Conflict: "Gadchiroli now looks like any normal city: SP Neelotpal" — An analysis of the socio-political shift in Maoist-affected regions. Signature Beat Ankita is best known for her ability to translate "technical jargon into human stories." Whether she is explaining how AI tools like MahaCrimeOS assist the police or exposing the dire conditions of wildlife transit centres, her writing serves as a bridge between specialized knowledge and everyday safety. Contact & Follow X (Twitter): @ankita_deshkar Email: ankita.deshkar@indianexpress.com ... Read More

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