CJP Defends Rajasthan School Campaign, Says Focus Is Accountability, Not Politics

The Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) on Saturday rejected allegations that its ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign in Rajasthan was politically motivated, saying its focus was solely on improving government school infrastructure and holding authorities accountable.

CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka told IANS that the organisation would continue visiting government schools across the country to document their conditions and raise questions about shortcomings in basic infrastructure.

“We are seeking accountability from the government,” Ranka said, insisting that the campaign was not aimed at securing votes or targeting any particular political party.

He argued that the debate should not centre on what CJP planned to do within a particular timeframe, but on when the government would address the problems faced by students and teachers.

Ranka specifically raised questions about the condition of government schools in Rajasthan, claiming that around 600 schools were functioning without proper buildings and nearly 85,000 classrooms were in poor condition. He urged the state government to explain when these facilities would be repaired.

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The CJP spokesperson also referred to an alleged assault involving members of the organisation in a Rajasthan village. He said videos of the incident had been circulated on X, Instagram and other social media platforms and had also been submitted to the police.

According to Ranka, the videos were unedited and showed the people allegedly involved in the assault, making it possible for authorities to identify them. At the same time, he said that if there was evidence against CJP members in connection with the incident, that evidence should also be made public.

Ranka strongly rejected allegations that the organisation was conducting the campaign as part of an anti-BJP political agenda. He said CJP representatives had visited the area after receiving information that a school had allegedly been operating from a buffalo shed for around two-and-a-half years.

He said he had personally visited the school last year and had shared a video showing its condition. According to him, the campaign was intended to draw attention to the difficulties faced by children studying in unsafe and inadequate surroundings.

Ranka questioned Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar over the government's response to the issue and expressed concern over the safety of students studying in the makeshift structure.

He said the tin structure could potentially collapse, while buffaloes and fodder were reportedly kept in the surrounding area.

Ranka maintained that the ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign would continue until the concerned schools were repaired, framing the initiative as a public accountability effort rather than an electoral or political campaign.

The controversy comes amid wider concerns over government school infrastructure, where issues such as unsafe classrooms, inadequate buildings and shortages of basic facilities can directly affect students' safety and learning environment. The allegations and counter-allegations are now likely to put greater attention on the Rajasthan government's response to the specific infrastructure claims raised by CJP.