Aditya Thackeray targets govt for education letdown

Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray addresses the crowd after a protest march to highlight corruption in the education sector. (Photo: Shripad Naik)

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls inching closer, Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray is targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for not fulfilling the people’s demands in the last two years. He led a protest march on Saturday from Girgaon Chowpatty voicing issues in the education sector. He alleged that despite the online admission process, nearly two lakh students could not get admission to junior colleges.

“It was expected that the change of guard would bring relief to all. However, nothing has happened in the last two years and hence, I have to take the march. There is no difference between the previous government and the current one,” Aditya said, while addressing a rally after the march.

He said he had even met education minister Vinod Tawde a few months’ ago to highlight problems of students, but was disappointed the minister did not take cognisance of them. “The education minister had promised to resolve all the issues, but he did nothing,” he said.

It was the first such rally by the Yuva Sena chief. A party leader said the rally was important for Aditya so that he can lead further such party programmes and attract the youth to the Sena.

Aditya spoke on a number of issues related to kindergarten level to the post graduate level. He criticised the government for its failure to reduce the weight of school bags. The issue has been in the news for a long time after parents complained about the heavy bag weights the students are forced to carry.

“The schools take donations at kindergarten level. When will the government is going to take action against the schools Also, what is the need to interview parents before admitting the child in kindergarten ” he asked.

He also ridiculed the Modi government’s efforts towards a digital India. Aditya said the education department in the state has no website and students do not benefit from technical innovations such as WhatsApp Messenger.