JAMMU: The decision of State Government to demolish a girl’s school in the heart of the city to create parking space has evoked criticism from several quarters including students and their parents.
The administration has decided to demolish the Government Girls High School to create parking space, a move which is being widely criticised by various quarters.
Around 250 students, who were studying in this school, now have been shifted to other institutions, however, the parents of these students said the decision to demolish the school could have been executed after the completion of the current academic session.
“The decision to demolish the school is very insensitive decision as the future of our wards is being compromised. The decision to demolish the school could have been taken when the current academic session finishes after two months,” Pardeep Kumar, whose daughter studies in the school, said.
The students and their parents have been continuously on protest demanding that the decision to demolish the school should be deferred.
“The school caters to the students who are mostly from the weaker economical class, the authorities might not have been such insensitive if children of rich and influential were studying here,” another parent said.
The authorities, however, say that the decision to demolish the school was taken keeping in view the fact that there were other schools in the vicinity where these students could be accommodated. “There are other schools in the vicinity where these students have been accommodated hence there is no question of being insensitive to the future of these kids,” an official said.
Meanwhile, scores of National Conference activists staged protest against the PDP-BJP Government over illogical and anti-student decision of demolishing a girls dominated school in the old city just to create parking slot.
Led by National Conference District President Jammu Urban, the workers visited the school and described the measure as antithesis of ‘Beti Bachao, Beti-Padao’ slogan of the BJP and said this exposes the party’s hypocrisy. The NC activists assailed the insensitive and irresponsible decision of the government and sought its immediate reversal, saying that the future of girls is involved. “At a time, the government ought to have provided incentives to girls for getting ornamented with education, it is punishing them by way of dismantling their temple of learning”, they said.
The students of the school also joined the protests and sought rollback of the decision for saving their academic career.
Among those who joined the protest included Provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir, Provincial President Women Wing, Satwant Kour Dogra, Co-Chairperson NC OBC Cell Abdul Gani Teli besides Dilshad Malik, K.D Singh, Rakesh Singh Rocky, Rashida Begum, Rohit Bali, Dalbir Singh, Reeta Gupta, Anju Grover, Pinki Bhat, Veena Oberoi, Manveen Kour, Sanjay Gupta, Ashok Kumar, Sucha Singh, Vikram Manhas, Sandeep Singh, Komal Manhas, Ritesh Koul and Amit Koul.
Traders and residents of Pahari Mohalla urged upon the Chief Minister to go ahead with the project as this will give smooth passage to the traffic system.
The signatories to the statement include Raman Gupta, Raj Kumar, Pankaj Gupta, Jugal Kumar, Ram Krishan and Manik Gupta.
