Govt killing 'Koduku Badi' for 'Amma Vodi'

'Justice for students'

Lokesh urges CM not to destroy aided schools

Ploy to destroy whole State by crushing education

Writes letter to CM not to close one single school

Schools targetted due to reckless loans and debts

90% students of aided schools come from poor sections

AMARAVATI (prajaamaravati): TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Thursday urged Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy not to destroy the aided educational institutions so as to safeguard the future of lakhs of students in Andhra Pradesh.

Lokesh stressed the need to protect the long-established aided education system and steps should be taken to ensure that not a single school would be closed. It was atrocious that the Government was not thinking of the students' future in its hurry to snatch away prime assets and properties of the aided schools. The aided teachers' interests should be protected and the removed contract lecturers should be reinstated.

In an open letter to CM Jagan Reddy here, Nara Lokesh accused the Government of hatching a conspiracy to destroy all systems in the State by killing the aided educational institutions. A great philosopher, Machiavelli, had said at that time itself that if one education sector was destroyed, then all the remaining systems and institutions would be automatically crushed. Jagan Reddy's decisions were reminding the people of these Machiavellian cautionary observations.

Lokesh asked the CM whether it was correct to sacrifice 'Koduku Badi' (son's schools) on the pretext of 'Amma Vodi' (financial assistance to mothers). It was the YSRCP corruption that had plunged the State into a financial crisis. Massive loans were brought and huge irregularities were resorted to. Finally, the State was stuck in a debt trap. But now, the Jagan regime was targetting the schools of poor students.

Lokesh termed it as deplorable that the future of lakhs of students would be badly hit because of the thoughtless policies of the Government. The parents, students and the staff were coming on to the roads and launching protests. Even then, the adamant Chief Minister was not changing his decision. Protests erupted in Vizag, Kakinada and Guntur. The ruling YSRCP would be held responsible if any disaster strikes the AP education sector in future.

Decrying the Government's 'indifference', Lokesh said that it was a personal blow to CM Jagan that Telangana CM Chandrasekhara Rao had commented at his party TRS plenary that 'Andhras are caught in such a pitiful situation that they cannot dare to dream about their future'. This was an insult not just to Jagan Reddy but to all the 5 crore people of AP. The present crisis was created just because the YSRCP set its sights on the properties of the aided institutions.

Nara Lokesh deplored that the Government's decision would cause closure of these institutions. As a result, there would be a question mark on the future of 1.96 lakh students in 2,203 aided schools, 71,035 students in 182 aided junior colleges and 2.50 lakh students in 116 degree colleges. Suspicions were arising as the Government was not responding when the aided institutions were threatening to close down even as their staff were caught in uncertainty.

Nara Lokesh told the CM that 90 percent of the students studying in these aided institutions belonged to the backward and weaker sections. This was why thousands of people were taking to the streets and protesting. The Government's committee had just submitted a report as per the whims and fancies of the rulers but not reflected the feelings of the public. A judicial enquiry should be launched into the committee for not holding talks with the students, parents, teachers and management of aided schools.

Lokesh said that the GOs 42, 50 and 51 were solely aimed at killing the aided institutions so as to take over their prime properties. Now, the aided teachers were in suspended animation while the contract lecturers had lost their jobs altogether. The CM should clarify what solution he would give to lakhs of students and parents who were literally in a state of shock over the present crisis. Over 750 contract lecturers working in Government Degree Colleges were removed arbitrarily in this whole illogical process.