After targeting ‘poor’, BJP govt now hits middle class: Saurabh Bharadwaj

In the last 10 years, Arvind Kejriwal’s government had rooted out the private education mafia in Delhi — but with the BJP government coming to power, it has returned. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has pointed out that private schools have hiked fees by 20% – 82%, and while parents are protesting against it, the BJP government is standing with the wealthy school owners.

On the arbitrary fee hike in Delhi’s private schools, AAP National Convenor and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to X and wrote, “In ten years, we didn’t allow private schools in Delhi to hike their fees arbitrarily. We ended the education mafia. Within just a month of their government taking over, the education mafia has returned.”

Meanwhile, the father of Delhi’s education revolution, Manish Sisodia stated on X, “It hasn’t even been two months since BJP took power in Delhi, and they’ve already handed a free run to the education mafia. Thousands of parents today are deeply anxious about their children’s future. BJP has let private schools run wild. They’ve been given a free hand to increase fees — and some schools have gone to the extreme, hiking fees by up to 82%. Parents who can’t afford this increased fee — their children are not even being allowed to enter the classroom.”

“What kind of governance is this? What kind of government does this? Why does the BJP hate education so much? Why does it keep conspiring to crush the future of children? We spent the last 10 years working tirelessly to fix Delhi’s education system, put a stop to the arbitrariness of private schools, and ensured every child got the right to quality and free education,” he added.

“But the moment BJP came to power, they’ve been hell-bent on dismantling and destroying this entire system. First, they slashed the education budget — attacked Delhi’s most exemplary, most modern, and most welfare-driven education model. And now, by giving a free pass to the private school mafia, they’re out to break the backs of thousands of families. This isn’t just a battle over fees — this is a battle for the future of our country,” concluded the post.

During a press conference, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj said that the AAP government in Delhi had brought many benefits to the poor and marginalized, and the BJP cannot deny this. “But for the last few years, the BJP has been running a false propaganda among Delhiites, saying that only the poor benefited from AAP’s work — what did the middle class get?” he said.

He continued, “Now, ever since the BJP government came to power in Delhi, uninterrupted 24-hour electricity — which primarily helped the middle class — has started to disappear. And now, from April 1, with the new academic session starting in private schools, the middle class has suffered a second major blow in the form of massive fee hikes. Almost all private schools in Delhi have increased their fees by 20 to 82%.”

On harassment in elite schools, Saurabh Bharadwaj revealed that students are being mistreated in multiple branches of a prominent Delhi school in Dwarka, Vasant Kunj, and Rohini after the fee hike. “On the very first day, students of Class 7 and Class 10 go to school, and during the prayer assembly, some of them are stopped on the ground and not allowed to go to their classrooms. While the rest of the students are attending classes, those whose parents haven’t paid the increased fees are forced to sit in the library the entire day.”

“Even when these children need to use the toilet, they’re sent with an attendant to ensure they don’t sneak into the classroom and study,” he said. “These children are not from the lower or middle class — they’re from the upper-middle class. They live in areas like Greater Kailash, Vasant Kunj, South Extension, and Jor Bagh. And yet, they are being subjected to such humiliation. According to media reports, one child sitting in the library was mocked by classmates — ‘Can’t your father even afford the increased fee?’”

On fee hikes in other schools across Delhi, Saurabh Bharadwaj highlighted the example of Salwan Public School in Mayur Vihar Phase 3, which has increased its fees by 82%. “Out of this, 57% has already been implemented, and another 25% is planned. The results of children whose parents haven’t paid the increased fee are being withheld. Parents are protesting, but the BJP government in Delhi is not willing to listen,” he said.

“Similarly, Maharaja Agrasen School in Pitampura has increased fees and is troubling students whose parents couldn’t pay. Prajna School in Vasant Kunj has hiked fees by 65%. Parents are protesting outside the school and raising slogans, but the BJP government remains silent,” added the AAP Delhi State President.

Comparing AAP’s response to BJP’s inaction, Saurabh Bharadwaj recalled, “In the last 10 years of Arvind Kejriwal’s government, whenever any private school increased fees, the local AAP MLA would be the first to reach the school gate. But today, parents are protesting alone — no BJP MLA is standing with them. And they should be. The BJP is a party of capitalists. That is why it is siding with wealthy school owners, while middle-class parents are standing on the streets outside schools after taking leave from work. The BJP government is not helping them.”

He continued, “Under Arvind Kejriwal’s government, notices were issued to cancel the registration of private schools indulging in arbitrary hikes. The government even passed orders to take over such schools. But today, the BJP government is completely silent.”

Explaining the financial pressure on families, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “The government must take strict steps against the arbitrariness of private schools. An 82% fee hike is not a small matter. Even average private schools today charge ₹10,000 per month, and most take fees quarterly. If a family has two children, they need to pay ₹60,000 every three months. Now, if there’s a 65% hike, that parent would have to pay ₹1 lakh in fees for two kids — where will they get that money from? The economy is already in poor shape. In such a situation, fee hikes are absolutely unjust.”

He added, “Under Arvind Kejriwal, the private school mafia had been completely dismantled. But ever since the BJP came to power, the private school mafia has come back to life. Every parent in Delhi is beginning to understand this.”

Meanwhile, AAP MLA Sanjeev Jha said that since the BJP government came to power in Delhi, troubling trends have begun to surface. “The first and biggest impact has been on parents of children studying in private schools. That’s why Arvind Kejriwal kept warning during the elections that if BJP comes to power, fees in private schools will skyrocket and Mohalla Clinics will be shut down. The BJP kept claiming that welfare schemes would continue. But just one and a half months after the BJP formed government, everything Arvind Kejriwal warned about is turning out to be true,” he said.

He further noted, “For 10 years under Arvind Kejriwal, the government kept strict oversight over private schools — that’s why fees did not rise. Today, the arbitrary fee hikes in Delhi’s private schools are a direct result of the collusion between BJP ministers and MLAs. The brunt of this is being borne by middle-class families.”

AAP leader Adil Khan, speaking at the press conference, said, “During the elections, the AAP consistently warned that if the BJP came to power in Delhi — even by mistake — it would bring devastation. Power cuts have already begun in many parts of Delhi, and people are suffering, even though power demand isn’t high yet.”

He added, “AAP is globally known for its work in education. In 10 years of our government, we completely curbed the arbitrariness of private schools and transformed government schools into world-class institutions. But today, the BJP government has given private schools a free hand. Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemns the arbitrariness of private schools and demands that the increased fees be rolled back, so that parents of children studying in private schools are not burdened financially.”