New Delhi [India]: AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat following the tragic death of a Class 8 student from Surat, who allegedly died by suicide after being barred from taking an internal exam due to unpaid school fees.
ये आत्महत्या नहीं, बल्कि हत्या है। इस मासूम बच्ची को BJP के पाले हुए शिक्षा माफ़ियाओं के लालच ने मारा है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 23, 2025
प्रधानमंत्री जी का गृह राज्य, जहां बीजेपी पिछले 30 सालों से राज कर रही है, वहां बीजेपी ने गरीब बच्चों को शिक्षा माफ़ियाओं के हवाले छोड़ दिया है।
अब ये लोग दिल्ली में भी… https://t.co/U7K7PgRMQU
Describing the incident, Kejriwal accused the BJP-led government of fostering an “education mafia” that prioritizes profit over children’s welfare. Reacting to the news on X, he said, “This is not suicide, but murder. This innocent girl has been killed by the greed of the education mafia nurtured by the BJP.”
Kejriwal further alleged that 30 years of BJP rule in Gujarat have left underprivileged children vulnerable to exploitation by private educational institutions. “In the Prime Minister’s home state, where the BJP has been ruling for the last 30 years, the BJP has left the poor children at the mercy of the education mafia. Now these people want to stop free education in Delhi too, so that the education mafia can benefit. But I will not let this happen at all. Free education is the right of every child,” he added in his post.
Azad Samaj Party MP Chandra Shekhar Azad also condemned the incident, calling it a glaring example of the “commercialisation of education.” In a statement on X, Azad elaborated, “A Dalit girl student of a private school in Surat district of Gujarat was humiliated in front of other children for not paying the fees due to financial constraints. She was forced to sit on the floor for long hours and was even punished by standing near the toilet. The girl, who suffered mental trauma due to this abuse, committed suicide. This incident is not just an attack on a girl’s right to education, humanity, and sensitivity. This incident is an example of commercialization of education.”
Azad emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent such tragedies. “This incident is a warning that every daughter should get the right to education and respect. Discussion and action on this issue are necessary so that such incidents do not happen again,” he concluded.