The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has intensified its public outreach campaign on the Delhi BJP government’s proposed Private School Fee Regulation Bill, highlighting the BJP government’s attempts to shield the education mafia under the guise of reform. While emails are pouring in at [email protected]—the official ID AAP has set up to crowdsource suggestions—its MLAs are actively engaging with parents across the capital to gather grassroots feedback.
On Wednesday, senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, met with parents of children studying in private schools at the Delhi Assembly, where an overwhelming number voiced deep discontent. “The BJP has given us nothing but a lollipop,” said parents, criticising the government for bypassing public consultation and attempting to bulldoze a bill without transparency or accountability.
During her interaction with parents, Delhi Assembly LoP Atishi stated, “Parents are worried that through the backdoor, the BJP government is bringing a law that is not in their interest, but is meant to protect private schools. However, the Aam Aadmi Party will become the voice of these parents.”
She shared that she had extensive discussions with parents on what the fee regulation law should look like, what provisions it must contain, and how private schools should be brought under control. Atishi further assured, “Just as we fought for their rights during our 10 years in government, we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in the opposition and fight against this education mafia.”
Assuring full support to the parents, Atishi said, “We will not allow schools to act arbitrarily. We will raise this entire issue in the Assembly as well. All of this is being done with BJP’s collusion.” She added that many individuals linked with private schools were seen campaigning for the BJP, and without political backing, these schools would not have the audacity to act in this manner.
“When the Aam Aadmi Party was in government, we did not allow any hike in school fees. All of this is happening in the capital of the country, and the local administration is clearly complicit,” she stated.
Parents appealed for help, sharing disturbing incidents. Mahesh Mishra, whose child studies at DPS Dwarka, told Atishi that schools arbitrarily increased fees, and when they opposed it, their children were confined in the library.
Responding to this, the Delhi Assembly LoP said, “Schools are temples of education. We will not let them become centers of business. We stand completely with the parents against the hike in school fees.” She also announced that the issue would be raised in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Delhi Assembly.
Parent Umang Sharma told Atishi that private schools were constantly harassing them and principals refused to give appointments. He said, “We have been handed the lollipop of a fee regulation bill, but it has not been made public. No feedback has been taken from us.”
In response, Atishi affirmed, “We stand with the parents at every step. The education bill must be made public. The BJP government wants to implement the bill directly without any public consultation, but we will not allow that to happen. Why is the draft of the fee regulation bill being hidden? There is clearly something fishy here.”
Addressing the parents, Atishi assured them that the matter would be taken up in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the Assembly. She asserted, “We will demand that the Fee Regulation Bill be tabled and sent to a Select Committee. We will also demand that the new bill mandates a CAG audit of all private schools, and that the audit reports be shared with all parents.”
