Congress slams BJP govt over school fees in Gujarat

State Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma ( Source: Express Photo by Hanif Malek)

The Congress on Monday questioned the BJP government and Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma as to how the private schools in the state were able to charge high fees from students for the last 22 years when the BJP was in power in the state. The Congress reaction came after Chudasma criticised Congress leaders and senior lawyers Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal for appearing for private schools in the Supreme Court in a petition challenging the Gujarat government’s law for regulating fees charged by private unaided schools.

Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said that though Singhvi and Sibal are Congress leaders, they are also professional advocates and have to defend their clients in the court. He said that if the BJP considered Singhvi and Sibal’s appearance on behalf of private schools was unethical, then BJP and Chudasma should explain why did its Rajya Sabha member and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defend Ketan Parekh, an accused in the 2001 securities scam.

He also asked the BJP to answer why did Ram Jethmalani defend “terrorists, anti-nationals and criminals’’ and Asaram Bapu in the rape case. He said that Congress stood with parents and students who are demanding curb on donation and exorbitant fees by private schools.