India: 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 waive 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 waiver 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 waived off. They said that if more parents sought a fee waiver, 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. 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 was elected Gorakhpur MP five times before he took over as the state’s Chief Minister.
