Yogi Adityanath Promises Fee Exemption for Class 7 Pupil. Educational Institution Declares the Exemption Unachievable.
In the heart of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, a political row has emerged surrounding the education of Pankhuri Tripathi, a Class 7 student with aspirations of becoming an IAS officer. Pankhuri's father, Rajiv Kumar Tripathi, suffered a critical leg injury at home during the pandemic, forcing him to quit his job, and the family is now struggling to pay Pankhuri's school fees.
Pankhuri studies at Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gorakhpur’s Pakkibag area, a school run by the RSS education wing Vidya Bharati. The monthly fee for Class 7 students at the school is Rs 1,650, and Pankhuri has accumulated dues of about Rs 18,000. Despite assurances from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during a public interaction, the school management has refused to waive Pankhuri's fees, citing financial constraints due to potential mass fee waiver requests.
This refusal has sparked a political controversy. The Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav, has criticised the BJP government, accusing it of making false promises under the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" slogan and pledged to support Pankhuri's education to ensure her dream is not shattered. Meanwhile, Pankhuri and her family continue to express faith in Yogi Adityanath’s intervention to resolve the issue.
Pankhuri's brother also studies in an English-medium school, with Pankhuri in Class 7 and her brother in Class 12. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Rajiv Tripathi worked outside the state, but he had to return home due to the injury. Gorakhpur is a stronghold of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is also the head priest of the Gorakhnath Math and was elected Gorakhpur MP five times before becoming the state's Chief Minister.
The state government has written to the school administration, expecting a positive response shortly. However, the school administration has not commented publicly on the matter. This case highlights tensions between political assurances and institutional practices in the context of education and financial aid in Uttar Pradesh.
Pankhuri's predicament in continuing her education at Saraswati Shishu Mandir, amid unmet promises by the BJP government under the "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" slogan, has escalated into a political debate, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticizing the government and pledging support for Pankhuri. Meanwhile, Pankhuri and her family maintain hope in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's intervention to resolve this education-and-self-development quandary.
Moreover, this controversy comes at a time when general news is rife with political developments in Gorakhpur, a political hub and stronghold of Yogi Adityanath, and also a city grappling with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic on all sectors, including education and self-development.
