Latest news with #ApniJanataParty
Hindustan Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Schools' merger may endanger education in rural areas: SP Maurya
LUCKNOW Apni Janata Party chief Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday took pot shots at the Bharatiya Janata Party government in UP over its recent decision of merger of schools with less than 50 students, alleging it was an attempt to hand over education into private hands. The AJP chief requested the government to reconsider this decision in the interest of poor kids. (File Photo) 'There are plans to close primary and upper primary schools with less than 50 students. The government is calling it 'school merger', but the ground reality is something else. Such decisions can endanger the future of education in rural areas, especially for the children of poor, Dalit, tribal and backward classes,' he said speaking at a press conference at his residence here. The former minister said the decision would deprive thousands of children of education. 'Moreover, it will have a huge impact on girls who may drop out by 90% in rural areas while 50% of the boys may drop out after this merger,' added Maurya. 'Farmers, labourers, Dalits, tribals and backward class people, who do not have resources, send their children to village schools. If these schools are closed, where will these children will happen to the mid-day meal scheme? This decision is not only against Article 21A and 46 of the Constitution, but also anti-poor and anti-people,' he said. The AJP chief requested the government to reconsider this decision in the interest of poor kids, saying: 'According to the Constitution, it is the government's responsibility to provide free and compulsory education to children between 6 and 14 years of age. This is covered under Article 21A and the Right to Education Act (RTE Act, 2009). In such a situation, closing schools is a direct violation of the Constitution.' Maurya also asked the government not to engage teachers in other irrelevant works apart from teaching and urged chief minister Yogi Adityanath to review his decision. 'It seems this is a deliberate attempt to privatise the education system and prove that our teachers are ineffective,' alleged Maurya.
Hans India
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Mayawati was the best Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, says Swami Prasad Maurya
Barabanki: Former Uttar Pradesh Minister and Apni Janata Party President Swami Prasad Maurya on Wednesday praised Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, calling her the best Chief Minister the state has seen so far. Speaking at a press conference at Chauhan Guest House in Barabanki as part of his ongoing 'Samvidhan Samman aur Janhit Hunkar Yatra', Maurya mounted an attack on the ruling BJP and also took aim at the Samajwadi Party. However, he reserved his praise for Mayawati, under whose leadership, he said, law and order once set a benchmark not just in the state but across the country. 'If the Chief Ministers from BSP, BJP, and SP are compared, Mayawati clearly stands out. There was a true rule of law during her tenure, which resonated not just in Uttar Pradesh but throughout the country,' Maurya said. However, he also expressed disappointment over her present-day politics. 'She is no longer the same Behenji. She has distanced herself from the ideology of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, and in turn, the people have distanced themselves from her,' he remarked. Swami Prasad Maurya, who has switched between major parties like the BJP, BSP, and SP, now heads his own outfit -- Apni Janata Party. At the press conference, he made it clear that his party is gearing up for an aggressive electoral push. Maurya announced that in the upcoming district panchayat elections, party workers would have a free hand in selecting candidates. He also revealed that Apni Janata Party is preparing to contest all 403 seats in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. 'Our aim is not just to contest, but to liberate UP from the BJP's grip. If needed, we are open to forming alliances with any party committed to defeating the BJP,' he asserted. Currently, Maurya is undertaking the 'Samvidhan Samman aur Janhit Hunkar Yatra', a statewide campaign to raise awareness about social justice, public welfare, and the protection of the Constitution. 'This yatra, to expose the anti-people, casteist and communal policies of the BJP government, will continue until the BJP is ousted,' Maurya said. Earlier, Maurya received a rousing reception from his supporters upon arriving in Barabanki. He thanked the gathering and reiterated his commitment to fight for the marginalised and oppressed sections of society.
