Uttar Pradesh Cracks Down on Unauthorized ‘PDA Pathshalas’ Amid Political Row Between SP and BJP
Taking strong exception to the unauthorised conduct of ‘PDA Pathshalas’ — informal learning sessions initiated by the Samajwadi Party (SP) — within or around the premises of government primary schools, the Uttar Pradesh Department of Primary Education has issued strict directives to all Basic Shiksha Adhikaris (BSAs) across the state.
The department emphasized that no educational or political activity should be carried out on school grounds without official permission, especially in schools that have been paired under the state’s recent school restructuring initiative.
In the past week alone, three separate FIRs (First Information Reports) have been registered in connection with such incidents.
One of the FIRs even names a sitting Samajwadi Party MLA, R K Verma, intensifying the political tension surrounding the issue.
Political Entry Sparks Legal Trouble
The first incident occurred in Pratapgarh on Friday, where an FIR was filed at Fattanpur police station against SP MLA R K Verma and several unidentified individuals.
They are accused of forcibly entering the premises of the Narayanpur Kala Primary School by breaking the lock and conducting a political event without administrative approval.
The complaint states that political posters and banners were installed during the programme, allegedly creating a “politicised atmosphere” within the educational institution and adversely affecting the students.
Authorities claim that the intrusion generated a “politically charged environment” and was aimed at disrupting social harmony in the local area.
It’s worth noting that the Narayanpur Kala Primary School had already been merged under the state’s pairing policy with the Upper Primary School Narayanpur, and all staff and students had been relocated to the new site.
According to Station House Officer Rajendra Tripathi, the school premises were accessed unlawfully after the lock was broken.
MLA R K Verma, who represents the Raniganj constituency in Pratapgarh, now finds himself embroiled in a controversy that goes beyond local politics.
FIRs Against Other SP Leaders
Another FIR, dated July 31, was registered in Kanpur against SP leader Rachna Singh Gautam. She is accused of organising a ‘PDA Pathshala’ without prior permission, right outside the Primary School in Shahampur Garhi village.
The session reportedly took place on a Sunday, when schools are closed. Authorities claim she not only spread misinformation about the school being permanently shut but also used the platform to run political campaigns.
A formal complaint was submitted by Block Education Officer Ravi Kumar Singh, who alleged that Gautam attempted to tarnish the image of the education department through misleading social media posts.
The complaint also noted that Shahampur Garhi Primary School was not listed under the state’s pairing programme, making her claims doubly misleading. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Kanpur), Kapil Dev Singh, said in a statement that social media posts circulating from the event showed political motives.
Gautam, on her part, took to social media to denounce the FIR against her as politically motivated and accused the administration of trying to silence opposition voices.
The third FIR was filed on July 30 in the Bhadohi district against SP worker Anjani Saroj and several others. They allegedly conducted a ‘PDA Pathshala’ within and around the premises of Sikandra village Primary School, a school officially paired under the state government’s policy.
According to police reports, Saroj and his associates allegedly enticed local children by distributing items like pencils, erasers, and sweets. Children were then handed political banners and posters and brought to the school, where the Pathshala was held.
Following a preliminary inquiry, the school’s headmaster filed the FIR at the Chauri police station. Station House Officer Ramesh Kumar confirmed that the police were reviewing video footage to identify other individuals involved in the event.
Department’s Crackdown and Political Fallout
In light of these developments, the Department of Primary Education has directed all BSAs to increase vigilance and implement regular monitoring of paired schools.
If any unauthorized educational or political activity is discovered, officials are instructed to take immediate and appropriate legal action, including filing an FIR under relevant sections of the law.
The primary aim is to prevent misuse of school infrastructure and to ensure that the integrity of educational institutions is maintained.
These incidents have triggered a political war of words between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party.
The BJP has sharply criticized the ‘PDA Pathshala’ initiative, calling it a politically motivated campaign designed to “brainwash” young, impressionable students.
Reacting strongly, BJP’s Uttar Pradesh President Bhupendra Chaudhary denounced the activities being carried out under the PDA Pathshala programme. He stated that the SP’s initiative is less about education and more about “injecting political poison” into the minds of innocent children.
“This is not education, it’s Samajwadi brainwashing,” said Chaudhary in a press statement. He accused the SP of using school premises as political laboratories and promised that the BJP would oppose this “distorted mindset” across all democratic platforms.
In retaliation, the SP accused the BJP-led state government of deliberately attempting to suppress the education of marginalized PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, and Adivasi) communities.
The party alleged that the ruling government’s policy of pairing schools is an indirect move to shut down schools catering to poor and disadvantaged sections of society.
SP leaders stated that the overwhelming support received for PDA Pathshalas from students and parents across the state is proof that their initiative is resonating with the grassroots.
They claimed that the BJP’s real agenda has now been exposed — to deny educational access to the underprivileged while harassing SP workers who are trying to help.
Context: The School Pairing Policy
The controversy comes amid the state government’s ongoing restructuring drive, under which nearly 10,784 schools have been identified for pairing to optimize resources and staffing. Uttar Pradesh has over 1.32 lakh primary schools, catering to nearly 1.48 crore students.
The pairing policy aims to merge smaller or underutilized schools with larger nearby ones to improve educational outcomes and administrative efficiency.
While the government believes this move will streamline operations and improve quality, critics argue that it is leading to the closure or downsizing of schools in rural and marginalized areas.
As the political battle intensifies and legal actions continue, the issue has spotlighted the delicate balance between education, politics, and governance in India’s most populous state.
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