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Baba Ramdev throws surprise demand for educational reforms, threatens to go on protest
Ramdev alleged that most of the times, interviews for government jobs are ‘fraudulent' as he alleged massive corruption.
Just after the Cockroach Janta Party raised the issue of lack of proper infrastructure in schools and sought reforms under its 'School Thik Karo' campaign, famed yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday made similar remarks on the state of education and schools in the country.
Ramdev also threatened to go on a protest over his demands of educational reforms, saying that students from smaller schools are complaining about the lack of basics such as teachers, electricity and water. In his remarks, Ramdev also mentioned the paper leaks, an issue that recently sparked massive youth-led protests across the country which culminated in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister.
“There is chaos all over the country. Children are leaving small schools, complaining that they have no teachers, no electricity, no water, no toilets. There are books, but there are teachers; there are teachers, but there are no books. Even if there are books, the papers are leaked. The 10th and 12th grade board exams are not included anywhere. Admissions are based solely on competitive exams,” Ramdev was quoted as saying by Live Hindustan.
While making the remarks at an Independence Day event, Ramdev alleged that 90 to 99 percent of the time, interviews for government jobs are ‘fraudulent.’
“They recruit people from their own background, ideology, culture, organization, caste, and class, and push away the rest. On one hand, we proclaim that truth prevails, yet when it comes to recruitment, it's already decided. They charge crores of rupees.”
Maintaining that he doesn't support anarchy in the name of protests, Ramdev said, “How will the country function if we have to resort to protests like this? So, improve yourselves, or there could be more protests in the country. I don't support anarchy in the name of protests. But there's a lot of corruption in the country. It's possible that Ramdev will have to protest again."
Ramdev's cigarette, bidi remarks on Gen Z
While Ramdev backed the demands of students for exam reforms, he also made sharp remarks against the Gen Z saying that they have ‘multiple boyfriends and girlfriends’ and are into smoking and drinking.
“Many Gen Zs are doing well also, but some are into violence, have multiple boyfriends or girlfriends. Some are into smoking bidis and cigarettes and drinking alcohol. All we are saying is that get rid of the bad and take forward the good deeds,” Ramdev said.
Abhijeet Dipke's government school critique
Ramdev's call for educational reforms comes at a time when CJP is set to launch its 'School Thik Karo' campaign, spearheading the demand for reforms in government schools.
Urging the people to begin asking questions, CJP founder Dipke said, “People have now understood that they should talk about education, which is the need of the hour. No matter which political party ruled, nobody worked for government schools in states. Now there is a need, and we can make them work by asking questions.”
Dipke's team conducted an audit of a government school in his native village of Santuk Pimpri in Hingoli district of Maharashtra where the party, which identifies as a pressure group, listed the poor water supply, lack of drinking water, benches, dirty washrooms and broken windows as some of the issues troubling the students.
"Even after 80 years of Independence, our govt schools still lack basic amenities," Dipke said.
