BJP's development model aimed at snatching right to education from poor children: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday alleged that the BJP's development model is one that is aimed at snatching the right to education from the poor, especially SC, ST and OBC children.

The leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha shared on Facebook screenshots of some media reports.

One media report claimed that the number of government schools declined by 8 per cent but private schools increased by 14.9 per cent in the decade from 2014-15 to 2023-24, while another claimed that the enrolment of SC students in 2023-24 compared to previous fiscal year fell by 16.2 lakh students, while enrolment of ST students and OBC students declined by 5.1 lakh and 38.5 lakh respectively during this period.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi alleged that the "BJP's development model is a model to snatch the right to education from the poor, especially SC, ST and OBC children".

"More than 5,000 government schools are being closed in Uttar Pradesh. Since 2014, 84,441 government schools have been closed across the country, most of which have been closed in three BJP-ruled states - Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Assam," he said.

"This is not just closing schools, but a direct attack on the right to education given in the Constitution and the historic law of the UPA government, which brought every child from every village to school and led to a historic increase in enrolment," Gandhi said.

Babasaheb Ambedkar had stated that education is the milk of a lioness and whoever drinks it will roar, but today education itself is being snatched away, he alleged.

"Students and teachers are on the streets against the decision to close schools, but instead of listening to their voice, the government is busy harassing them and weakening the education system further. Whereas the need is to strengthen it and provide equal, accessible and quality education to every child," Gandhi said.