Daijiworld Media Network - Latur
Latur, Aug 23: Police in Maharashtra's Latur district have registered an FIR against Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) convenor Abhijeet Dipke and five others for allegedly entering a government school without permission, disrupting educational and official work, filming the proceedings and threatening teachers.
The case was registered at Ausa police station following a complaint by Sayyed Shamshadbano Khairatali, 53, a teacher at a Zilla Parishad Urdu school in Jawali village near Ausa. The incident allegedly took place during a visit by Dipke and his associates as part of the CJP's ongoing 'School Thik Karo' (Improve Government Schools) campaign.
Dipke has been visiting government schools across Latur district as part of the campaign, highlighting alleged shortcomings in infrastructure and facilities. During the visit to the Zilla Parishad Urdu school at Jawali, he and his associates allegedly entered the school premises and classrooms without permission, sat among the students and questioned them.
According to the complaint, their presence and activities disrupted classes and obstructed educational and government work. The complaint further alleged that the proceedings were filmed and that the video was subsequently shared on social media.
The complaint also alleged that Dipke made claims that students from another school had been brought into the premises and made to sit in classrooms during his visit. He allegedly questioned teachers about the presence of the students and threatened to have the teachers suspended, according to the FIR.
Police have registered the case under Sections 132, 329(3), 351(2) and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The sections relate to alleged use of criminal force against a public servant, house-trespass, criminal intimidation and criminal defamation. Further investigation is underway.
The FIR comes days after Dipke's visit to government schools in the district drew attention to alleged deficiencies in the functioning and infrastructure of some institutions.
During one such visit, Dipke claimed that students who were not enrolled at the school had been seated in classrooms. He also alleged that liquor bottles and what appeared to be suspected marijuana rolls were found on the premises. These claims were part of his criticism of the condition and management of government schools in the area.
Dipke also alleged that authorities had attempted to create a better impression of the school by bringing students from another institution before his visit. He questioned the availability of basic facilities and raised concerns over the condition of classrooms, drinking water and toilets.
The allegations have triggered a wider political and public debate over the condition of government schools in Maharashtra. Critics of the state government's education policies have used the episode to allege that authorities have failed to provide adequate infrastructure and facilities in government-run schools.
However, the allegations made during the school visits remain claims by Dipke and his campaign, while the latest FIR concerns the alleged manner in which the school was entered and the conduct during the visit. Police are investigating the allegations contained in the complaint.
The case has also brought attention to the growing use of social audits and public campaigns to highlight shortcomings in government institutions, while raising questions over the limits of such inspections and the requirement for prior permission to enter and record activities inside educational institutions.
The alleged incident took place at the Zilla Parishad Urdu school in Jawali near Ausa, more than 500 km from Mumbai. Latur Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe confirmed the registration of the case, according to reports.