‘Not a single school will not be allowed to close’: AAP protests in Lucknow on government closure; Demand Policy Rollback | Bharat News
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged a major protest at Eco Garden in Lucknow on Saturday, opposing the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to close public schools, which do not meet some criteria. The protest was led by Rajya Sabha MP and Uttar Pradesh in-charge of AAP, Sanjay Singh, and participated with teachers, parents and citizens across the state.The protest was in response to a government directive, which set new operational conditions for public schools, including minimum enrollment of 50 students and a distance of one kilometer between schools. The state government has partly withdrawn the order after facing public pressure.Addressing the gathering, Sanjay Singh said, “We will not allow a single school to be closed; the government will have to cancel the order to close the school.” He called Rollback a “partial victory”, but insisted that the campaign would continue until all public schools are protected.Singh criticized the policy, comparing with the state liquor rules. “Liquor shops are allowed within 300 meters, but schools require 3 km distance? Why?” He said, questioning the argument behind the rule. He said, “Quick to open liquor shops, eager to close schools, is it a yogi model?”Before his address, a formal conch shell, Singh accused the state government of targeting marginalized communities through the closure of schools. “The fight will last until every child in UP has access to education,” he said. “Not a single conspiracy against education in Uttar Pradesh will be allowed.”Party leaders including Dilip Pandey, Anil Jha, and Sabhajit Singh also spoke in protest, stating that the campaign would continue at the ground level. Several AAP state leaders, office-marriages and local supporters participated in protest.The Uttar Pradesh government has not yet released an official response to protests or the latest demands made by protesters.
