'How can a child use this?' Abhijeet Dipke highlights dirty toilets in government school in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP), has highlighted the poor state of basic facilities in Maharashtra government schools as part of his ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign. He launched the campaign after visiting a government school in Santuk Pimpri, his native village in Hingoli district.

Dipke alleged that even 80 years after India gained independence, many government schools in the country still lack basic facilities. He pointed out several issues at the school, including the lack of drinking water, benches for students, clean toilets, proper windows and a functioning water supply.

Dipke travelled 234 km from his home in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar to Santuk Pimpri to attend the Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony. After the ceremony, he visited the government school in the village and inspected its facilities. He also shared videos on social media showing the poor condition of the school.

In one video, Dipke showed a broken window that had been covered with banners featuring Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s pictures. He also shared visuals of a dirty and unhygienic toilet and questioned how a child could use such a toilet.

Dipke also sat with the students, asked them about their problems and recorded their responses. He said he had spoken to the village head, who assured him that the issues would be resolved as soon as possible. He added that the CJP would share videos showing the school’s problems with parents and take further action.

As part of the campaign, Dipke said the CJP would recognise and encourage village heads who take steps to improve basic facilities in government schools. He also urged authorities to take the condition of schools seriously and ensure that children from economically weaker families are not denied equal access to quality education.

Dipke also called for steps to regulate excessive fees charged by private schools. He said a similar campaign focusing on the poor condition of government hospitals would be launched soon.

Dipke launched the CJP on social media as a satirical political group following Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s ‘cockroach’ remark. The CJP also drew attention on July 25 by holding a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

On August 5, Dipke said the CJP would continue to function as a pressure group and focus on other issues faced by the public. He had also launched the ‘Kya Bolti Public’ campaign to directly understand people’s problems.