After Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation came up with a proposal to give two municipal schools to a private organisation at Rs 1 on rent for 30 years on lease, citizens and members of Maharashtra Navnirman Yuva Sena members have protested across the city against the proposal.
In this unique protest, the MNS party members begged across the city shops and hotels to collect Rs 1,840. Manoj Shelar, the city president of Maharashtra Navnirman Yuva Sena said, "If the authorities can give it for Rs 1 on a 30-year lease. They will get Rs 360 in the tenure. But we are giving you triple the amount, which is Rs 1,840 and will give more but don't hand over the school to a private organisation."
The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation came up with a proposal to give school numbers 19 and 27 on the lease of Rs 1 for 30 years. Shelar claims the municipal corporation had around 28 civic schools and after merging, around 26 schools are left.
"In most of the 26 schools, the students include kids of daily wage workers and lower groups. Where will they go?" asked Shelar.
Shelar claims the private organisation is looking for its benefits. "Both the schools are adjoining their private schools. They would have to just break walls and merge them. Now if they merge and start fees, where will the students go? The teachers are too lured to give jobs to avoid the protest. The school and the organisation earlier had Hindi and Sindhi medium, but with such a low capacity, they converted it to English school and started charging fees of Rs 500 and more. Also, the schools are not following the Right to Education of the government. Then why is the corporation digging a hole, which will not be beneficial or profitable to them as well as the students?" he asked.
However, many activists and political parties have been protesting against the proposal. Recently MNS staged a begging protest. The protest started from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk to the Municipal corporation office. The protestor begged Rs 1 from every shop and citizen and collected an amount of Rs 1,840.
Shelar, one of the protesters, said the civic school was recently repaired and renovated by the authorities. "If the lease scheme is to benefit the organisation then why are the authorities trying to do so? They should look after the education of the kids who are the future of the country. Also, every citizen has the right to study and the authorities are taking it away from them," he added.
Bandu Deshmukh, the city president of MNS said, "After acquiring the public toilets and open land across the city. Now they are trying to acquire the municipal school. Once they get over the schools they will start charging people and convert it to a private school."
"The authorities should cancel the proposal or face a protest in MNS style in near future. The next protest will be at the municipal commissioner's office in the coming 15 days," added Deshmukh.
