RTE activists to protest outside Lucknow's BJP office on Tuesday

LUCKNOW: Activists fighting for absolute implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, led by Magsaysay awardee Sandeep Pandey, will protest outside Lucknow's Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) office on Tuesday, after a girl student was denied entry to a city school. The school concerned is claimed to be under the ownership of one of BJP's state executive committee member.
A letter was also sent to Union Human Resource and Development (HDR) minister Prakash Javdekar on Monday to ensure admissions under RTE at the school or recommend expulsion of the member from the party.
According to activist Praveen Srivastava, the school had after much pressure admitted Asna Farhad in class I. On Monday however the girl was denied entry to the school, which coincided with the last day of an examination. "She was also told to not come to the school again and asked to meet the owner of the school who is part of the BJP," he said.
Strongly condemning the act, activists decided to not just protest at noontime but also demanded for cancellation of the school's licence. Apart from the concerned school, activists from Socialist Party (India), Neev and Parents' Association are fighting a long drawn battle for RTE between two other private schools in the city. A total of 81 schools collectively in the three schools have been denied admission even after orders from the Basic Education Officer.