Parents to hold jan panchayat against school fee hike

Parents of children studying in private schools, under the banner of Abhiwawak Ekta Samiti, have decided to organize a 'jan panchayat' against fee hike at Subhash crossing in Civil Lines on Thursday. On Tuesday, the samiti launched a signature campaign at collectorate and roped in support of large number of lawyers. On Wednesday, the samiti would organize a similar campaign at High Court crossing to ensure support of high court lawyers and public alike.Samiti's convener Vijay Kumar Gupta said that the issue of fee hike would be discussed with students, political representatives, intelligentsia and various sections of the society. He blamed the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities concerned and adamant attitude of school management for the crisis. Gupta rued that education mafias had turned the temple of education into a business. They are forcing parents and guardians into purchasing new school uniform, text books and copies from school shops at exorbitant price. Stating that parents had no option but to follow school's diktat, he said that such practice would not be tolerated any more.Another leader Anandji Tandon Pappanji said that people running convent schools either held important posts in government or were well-connected with higher ups. As a result, the education department had turned a blind eye towards them. He, however, declared that the parents and the guardians under the samiti banner would raise the issue at all level.