RSS Affiliate Hits Back at CJP's School Visits in Rajasthan

A teachers' organisation affiliated with the RSS has pushed back against the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) campaign highlighting poor conditions in Rajasthan's government schools, urging that campuses remain free of political activity.

The Akhil Bhartiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM), which claims 2.80 lakh government school teacher members in Rajasthan, said in its September newsletter that schools should be "free from political activities and outside interference." It asserted that "temples of education will not be allowed to become a political arena at any cost."

The statement follows an August 21 confrontation when a CJP delegation visiting a school in Rampura village, Jaipur, faced opposition and an attack. The state later announced renovations at that school, which the CJP claimed as a victory.

ABRSM state organisation minister Umrao Lal Verma said violence cannot be supported, but questioned why political disputes were being brought to schools. He suggested that concerns about school facilities should be raised through official education department channels rather than through protests.

ABRSM national president Narayan Lal Gupta said the organisation has long raised infrastructure and teacher vacancy issues. He noted that problems accumulated over 60-70 years cannot be fixed in a year and reiterated calls for raising the central education budget to 6 percent.

The ABRSM is running a "Humara vidyalaya, humara teerth" campaign covering 10,000 schools in Rajasthan and has adopted 1,000 schools for comprehensive improvement involving philanthropists, teachers, and parents.

State president Ramesh Chandra Pushkarna cited a government audit finding 86,934 dilapidated school rooms and said the Rs 3,000 crore allocated for rebuilding is insufficient. He challenged the CJP to raise funds from its large social media following for repairs instead of "merely indulging in propaganda."

The organisation also backed the state government's directive restricting outsider entry into schools, with officials describing it as a measure to ensure a safe, disciplined educational environment. ABRSM leaders maintained that while political engagement is a democratic right, using government schools as platforms for political conflict is unacceptable.