Mayawati adds caste chapter to UP education

Mayawati has kicked up another row in Uttar Pradesh, overturning yet another policy of the Rajnath Singh government. This time, it’s ov...

Mayawati has kicked up another row in Uttar Pradesh, overturning yet another policy of the Rajnath Singh government. This time, it’s over her decision to distribute free books only to the SC-ST students from Class I to Class VIII, instead of to poor students irrespective of caste, as done by Rajnath.

While Rajnath’s decision had put a burden of Rs 50 crore on the state exchequer, as it brought 1.6 crore students under its ambit, he had argued that distribution of books only to Dalit students would create caste and class consciousness among young students.

Education Department officials are also against Mayawati’s move. One of them says: ‘‘With the Rajnath Singh government’s decision, the dropout rate had come down to 28 per cent from 50 per cent. Free distribution of books had helped motivate poor children to come to schools.’’

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Today, Samajwadi Party legislature wing leader Mohammed Azam Khan submitted a memorandum to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri urging him to intervene in the matter and prevent Mayawati from changing the previous government’s decision. It is injustice on the part of Mayawati to withdraw free book benefits to poor students belonging to OBCs, minorities and upper castes, he said.

‘‘If Mayawati wants to reduce the government’s expenditure, she should call an all-party meeting and prune expenditure on the chai-paani of the CM, ministers and officers,’’ he said. ‘‘SP believes in helping the poor irrespective of caste and it practised it during its governments,’’ he said.

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