RSS-Affiliated ABRSM Opposes CJP's Political Activities in Government Schools

The RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) has responded to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), opposing its actions and mobilising its network of lakhs of members across the state to improve the education system. This comes amid the CJP's increased pressure on the Rajasthan government over the poor condition of government schools.

Government schools should be “free from political activities and outside interference,” according to ABRSM's September bulletin, which stated that “the temples of education will not be allowed to become a political arena at any cost.” The Mahasangh is also opposed to teachers being used for political purposes and to outside interference in schools.

CJP Claims Victory After Protest

The development follows a dispute and altercation over the CJP's demonstration at a Rajasthan government school on August 21 in Rampura hamlet of Jaipur's Bagru Assembly constituency. The CJP interpreted the Rajasthan government's announcement of school repairs a few days after the protest as a victory.

With over 45,000 employees and office-bearers in the state, ABRSM claims a membership of 2.80 lakh government school teachers in Rajasthan and 13.60 lakh nationwide.

Mahasangh Questions Political Disputes

Referring to the attack on a CJP delegation en route to a school on the outskirts of Jaipur, Mahasangh's state organisation minister, Umrao Lal Verma, said that “violence and physical violence cannot be supported under any circumstances,” but added that the question of why political disputes are being brought into government schools is also serious.

He said it was “not appropriate to enter a school without following due process and creating a political controversy.” He added that any person or organisation with concerns about the facilities, arrangements or educational standards of a government school can raise them through the channels provided by the administration and the education department.

ABRSM also opposed the CJP's actions by holding press conferences across the state last month.

According to Verma, ABRSM has been promoting schools across the state through a campaign called “Humara Vidyalaya, Humara Teerth” (Our School, Our Pilgrimage). Up to 10,000 schools in Rajasthan are included in the initiative. He added that, as part of the same campaign, ABRSM recently adopted 1,000 government schools in the state with the goal of improving infrastructure, teacher availability and student attendance, with the assistance of the government, ABRSM, parents and philanthropists.

ABRSM Pushes Back Against CJP

According to ABRSM state president Ramesh Chandra Pushkarna, the campaign aims to provide schools with the same “facilities and peace” that are often associated with pilgrimage sites.

Pushkarna claimed that Rs 3,000 crore would be insufficient to restore 86,934 completely damaged school rooms, citing the state government's audit from the previous year. He encouraged the CJP to raise crores of rupees from its social media followers to improve the state's schools “instead of merely indulging in propaganda” while touring schools. Regarding ABRSM's own initiatives, he added that its members have been contributing to improving school conditions.

Additional General Secretary Basant Jindal said that while participating in politics may be a democratic prerogative, “using government schools as a platform for political conflict is unacceptable.” Devendra Sharma, the state's joint minister, also said that schools should not become political battlegrounds.