Punjab Police on Saturday detained senior BJP leader and retired IAS officer Jagmohan Singh Raju for organising a Right to Education (RTE) awareness camp in Amritsar.
Led by Raju, the BJP workers had gathered at Maqboolpura in Amritsar East assembly segment to launch “From Courtroom to Classroom – Haq Dee Ladai” campaign.
To prevent them from launching the drive, cops detained more than 100 volunteers and also took Raju into custody. He was released after four hours.
The drive, led by the BJP leader in his capacity as chairman of JM Foundation and KS Raju Legal Trust, and general secretary, BJP Punjab, was aimed at helping poor families secure admission for their children in private schools under the 25% RTE quota, as per a spokesperson of the party.
In a statement issued here, Raju said, “Objectives of the drive was to spread awareness among parents about their children’s right to 25% free seats in private schools under the RTE Act; assist parents with filling of admission forms; mobilise parents, volunteers and civil society for children’s rights; and create awareness about other government schemes that empower disadvantaged families. But a peaceful effort to empower the poorest through education is being suppressed.”
The former IAS officer said, “For 15 years, poor children were denied admission in private schools due to Rule 7.4 of the Punjab RTE Rules, 2011. Following my legal battle in the Punjab and Haryana high court, this rule was struck down earlier this year. On August 14, the Punjab government was compelled to issue SOPs, mandating admissions under the RTE Act.”
{{/usCountry}}The former IAS officer said, “For 15 years, poor children were denied admission in private schools due to Rule 7.4 of the Punjab RTE Rules, 2011. Following my legal battle in the Punjab and Haryana high court, this rule was struck down earlier this year. On August 14, the Punjab government was compelled to issue SOPs, mandating admissions under the RTE Act.”
{{/usCountry}}“The Amritsar camp was to mark the first grassroots implementation of this legal victory. Instead, it was blocked by police action, raising questions about the government’s sincerity in enforcing the high court’s order and its commitment to the rights of poor children,” he added.