There is a simple line that political activism should never cross the school gate. However, the newly formed Cockroach Janata Party seems determined to cross that and bring their politics inside our kids’ schools.
Schools are not political offices, protest sites or campaign grounds. They are spaces where children should be able to study, interact with their teachers and grow without being pulled into the latest political confrontation. Whatever the political party, movement or ideology involved, children deserve a safe and protected environment.
That is why the recent attempts by members of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) to enter government schools and conduct what they describe as inspections have drawn criticism. When we send our kids to schools, we don’t expect these political activists to invade the schools and conduct their own activism there in the name of inspecting the schools. Whenever such outsiders try to enter a school, institutional safeguards should trigger, and these people should be shown the exit door.
The latest incident came in Greater Noida on September 22, when CJP co-convener Saurav Das and his team were reportedly stopped from entering three government schools in Devla, Makoda and Jaitpur while attempting to ‘assess basic facilities’inspect’ schools. The team was rightly stopped at the gates, with police personnel deployed outside one of the schools.
This was not an isolated confrontation.
Earlier in September, CJP members had conducted a school audit in Noida as part of their “School Theek Karo” campaign. At one school, the team was allowed inside, but access to other schools was not allowed. The district education authorities disputed CJP’s claim that schools had been ordered to shut and said teachers were concerned that the presence of a large crowd around children could make students uncomfortable, disrupt classes and create panic.
Rajasthan had already moved to put formal safeguards around such visits. Following CJP’s announcement that its volunteers would inspect government schools, the state imposed restrictions on unauthorised entry by outsiders and on photography, videography and interviews involving students and teachers. It was done for the protection of children’s privacy, safety and dignity.
On August 21, in Jaipur district, a CJP team visiting a government school in Rampura-Kanwarpura encountered opposition from local residents.
Citizens have every right to demand better government schools. Political groups can raise questions about toilets, classrooms, drinking water, teachers, infrastructure and mid-day meals. Those are legitimate public issues.
But inspecting a school, and entering a school without any authorisation is not the same as holding a political rally.
A school has children inside. Their privacy matters. Their parents have not consented to political workers entering classrooms, questioning teachers in front of students, recording activities or turning the campus into political content for social media.
If a political organisation believes government schools are failing, there are proper channels, education departments, elected representatives, RTI applications, formal complaints, public hearings and legislative scrutiny. Even a genuine campaign for better education does not automatically create a right to walk into a functioning school.
So, NO, our children’s schools should not become the next battlefield of political mobilisation. If you just want to do drama, there is always Jantar Mantar, go do your political drama there.
The school gate should remain a boundary, not an invitation.
