Yogi Adityanath Assured Class 7 Girl Fee Waiver. School Said Not Possible
A Class 7 girl's appeal for financial support that can help fulfill her dream of becoming an IAS officer has snowballed into a political row in Uttar Pradesh.
Pankhuri Tripathi's family suffered a major setback after her father, Rajiv Kumar Tripathi, sustained a critical leg injury in an accident and had to quit his job. The family sought help from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who assured them that her education wouldn't face obstacles.
The Class 7 student says the school management has refused to pardon her fees and stressed that there is no such provision. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has now targeted the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and offered to support the girl's education. Pankhuri's family hopes the Chief Minister will intervene and help her work towards fulfilling her dream.
Pankhuri Tripathi studies at Saraswati Shishu Mandir in Gorakhpur's Pakkibag. The school, run by RSS education wing Vidya Bharati, charges Class 7 students a monthly fee of Rs 1,650. Pankhuri has dues of about Rs 18,000.
"I had gone to the Chief Minister with a fee pardon request. He gave me a chocolate and assured me that it would be done. But when I went to school with my father, they misbehaved with us. We were told that the fee couldn't be pardoned. They said that if more parents sought a fee pardon, the school wouldn't be able to function. They said they have to pay teachers," she said.
"My father broke down. No one had ever spoken to him like this. But I trust that the Chief Minister will not let my dream shatter and I will work hard and become an IAS officer," Pankhuri said.
Gorakhpur is a stronghold of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He is the head priest of the Gorakhnath Math and served as Gorakhpur MP five times before taking over as the state's Chief Minister.
Akhilesh Yadav, who heads the state's main Opposition Samajwadi Party, has now taken a swipe at the ruling party over Pankhuri's remarks. "We promise that her education won't stop. This is the truth of the BJP's fake slogans of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'. We urged the BJP not to lie to children," Mr Yadav said in a post on X.
Pankhuri's father Rajiv Tripathi said he worked outside the state before the Covid pandemic. "When I was at home during the pandemic, I slipped off the terrace and suffered a leg injury. I lost my job. Both my children study in English-medium schools. My son studies in Class 12, and my daughter is in Class 7. I was struggling to pay their fee and my daughter did not go to school after February. It is my son's last year in school, so I did not want to disrupt his education. I thought of taking my daughter out of school for a year. Then it struck me that I could approach the Chief Minister for help. We went to Janata Durbar on July 1 and sought his help. He immediately asked officials to ensure that my daughter's education does not stop," he said.
"The school administration, however, said there is no such provision. They said that if every parent manages to get a fee pardon, the school will shut down. They misbehaved with us. When I saw my daughter crying, I broke down too," he added.
On hearing that Mr Yadav had tweeted about the issue and offered help, Mr Tripathi said, "He has tweeted. But we are associated with the Math and Maharaj ji (referring to Yogi Adityanath) and we believe he would ensure my daughter's education."
NDTV reached out to the school administration, but they refused to comment on the matter. An education department official said the state government has written to the school administration and a positive response is expected shortly.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Mann Ki Baat: Capital talk
Cabinet whispers: Winds of change There is an undercurrent of speculation in political circles, especially around the BJP, that a few long-serving ministers might soon see changes in their roles. The buzz—still firmly in the realm of gossip—suggests that the RSS has nudged the party leadership to rethink the positions of about six ministers who have held the same portfolios across two terms. Some are seen as having delivered little headline-worthy work in their current jobs, though that judgment is always subjective. The BJP, however, isn't keen to drop them entirely as most are considered close to the top brass. So, they may be shifted laterally into organisational roles. Allies, on the other hand, are unlikely to face any change unless they ask for it themselves. For now, the matter remains a quietly evolving story. Mann Ki Baat: Capital talk Since its launch in October 2014, Mann Ki Baat has become a monthly ritual in many Indian homes. What began as a simple radio address by the Prime Minister has grown into a multimedia platform—broadcast on All India Radio, Doordarshan, YouTube, NewsOnAIR, and even overseas through social media and OTT platforms like WAVES. It shares inspiring stories, social messages, and reflections—but beyond content, it has also proven financially successful. Official data shows it has generated Rs 34.13 crore in revenue so far. That this has been achieved without commercial advertising, with the reach and impact to boot, is remarkable. In an age defined by speed and brevity, Mann Ki Baat demonstrates that thoughtful, long-form storytelling can still resonate widely—and even pay its way.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
DPS Dwarka receives bomb threat; school evacuated, search operations on
Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka received a bomb threat call on Sunday, prompting authorities to immediately evacuate the school premises, reports news agency ANI. Police teams, along with bomb disposal squads and the Delhi Fire Service, rushed to the spot and search operations are currently underway, officials said. File photo of police conducting searches at a Delhi school that received a bomb threat.(Vipin Kumar/HT) The latest threat comes against the backdrop of a spate of similar incidents in the national capital in recent months. On July 18, over 50 schools across Delhi reported receiving bomb threat emails on a single morning, leading to panic and large-scale evacuations. Those included prominent institutions such as St Xavier's in Civil Lines, Richmond Global School in Paschim Vihar, Abhinav Public School in Rohini, and The Sovereign School in Rohini. Earlier in July, threats were also reported at St Stephen's College and St Thomas School in Dwarka, a day after three other schools in the city had received similar hoax emails. At least seven schools were targeted on July 17, the third consecutive day of such threats. Police later traced one of the hoax emails to a 12-year-old boy in south Delhi, who was found to have sent the message as a prank. He was questioned, counselled, and sent home. While all previous threats turned out to be hoaxes, the repeated incidents have raised concerns among parents and school authorities. Former Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Atishi had criticised the Centre and the BJP-led civic administration last month, saying: 'Think of the trauma that children, parents and teachers would be going through. BJP controls all four engines of governance in Delhi, and is yet not able to provide any safety or security to our children! Shocking!' Officials said that precautionary evacuations will remain the standard response until each threat is verified. Investigations are underway to trace the source of Sunday's call to DPS Dwarka.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Amid NDA's Consensus Push, Rajnath Singh Dials Kharge Seeking Oppn Backing For VP Nominee
Last Updated: The BJP earlier in the day declared CP Radhakrishnan as its vice-presidential candidate after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board Aiming to ensure a consensus and possibly an unopposed election, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday reached out to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to seek opposition's backing for the NDA's vice-presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan, sources said. They added that Singh has been tasked with coordinating the NDA's efforts for the election, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju will serve as election agent, reported news agency ANI. It is a parliamentary convention for the ruling party or alliance to approach opposition leaders during elections to key constitutional posts such as the President, Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The practice is aimed at building consensus for positions that are expected to remain above partisan politics. The BJP earlier in the day declared Radhakrishnan as its nominee after a meeting of the party's Parliamentary Board. Announcing the decision, BJP chief JP Nadda said the alliance would also approach other parties. 'We will talk to the opposition as well. We should also get their support so that together we can ensure an unopposed election for the post of Vice President." 'As we said earlier, we have been in touch with them, and our senior leaders have contacted them earlier as well and even now, we will remain in touch with them, and all our NDA colleagues have supported us. CP Radhakrishnan is our NDA's candidate for Vice President," Nadda added while addressing a conference. Radhakrishnan took charge as Maharashtra's Governor in July 2024, after a brief tenure as Governor of Jharkhand. He has also held additional responsibility for Telangana and Puducherry. A senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, he twice represented Coimbatore in the Lok Sabha, served as state party president, and later chaired the Coir Board. He won his first election from Coimbatore in 1998 with a margin of over 1.5 lakh votes. The Election Commission has scheduled the Vice Presidential election for September 9, with both polling and counting to be completed the same day. The deadline for filing nominations is August 21, and candidates will be able to withdraw their papers until August 25. The office fell vacant after Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down on July 21, the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, citing health concerns. 'To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution," Dhankhar said in his resignation letter. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
