Tensions flare in Jaipur as CJP team allegedly attacked during visit to Govt school

Jaipur : Tensions escalated sharply in Rajasthan's education sector on Friday, following a violent confrontation in Rampura Kanwarpura, Jaipur district, where a visiting delegation of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) was allegedly ambushed by political opponents.

The incident has further fueled an ongoing controversy surrounding directives issued by Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar regarding state government schools.

According to CJP, team members attempting to inspect a local government school, which reportedly operates out of a makeshift shed, were met with mob violence.

Speaking to ANI from the scene, CJP activist Ashutosh Ranka slammed the administration and state leadership, calling it a pre-planned attack by "BJP goons" with police inaction; demanded arrests within 48 hours and the withdrawal of the Education Ministry's order.

"The entire country saw BJP's hooliganism live today. Stone pelting was already happening there, but the Police remained mute spectators. Police said that they won't do anything. This has been done at the behest of Madan Dilawar. Our volunteers had their hands broken. Our vehicles have been vandalised. There was stone pelting here. Elderly people pelted stones at the women in our team and broke their phones.

This was pre-planned. All these goons should be arrested within 48 hours and withdraw the order; otherwise, this protest will expand from education to Madan Dilwar now... You should be ashamed of yourself. The school has been running in a buffalo shed for a year now; we want to get it repaired. BJP goons were present there... This is a black day in the democracy of Rajasthan," he said.
In a post on X, Dipke alleged that the Rajasthan Police allowed the incident to take place.

Sharing a visual of a car with a smashed window, Dipke said, "Ashu has been attacked by BJP goons in Rajasthan. Ashu and other volunteers of CJP were beaten up and have been injured. @PoliceRajasthan has allowed this to happen."

The confrontation occurs amid widespread political friction in Rajasthan after the Education Ministry, headed by Madan Dilawar, implemented strict restrictions on unauthorised entry, media access, and filming within government school premises.

Opposition parties claim these orders are designed to conceal severe infrastructure deficiencies across rural state schools, while state officials maintain the restrictions are meant to maintain discipline and ensure student safety.

According to members of the CJP delegation, the visit was meant to inspect a government school that had previously been reported as operating out of a makeshift buffalo shed.

Sanju, a member of the visiting CJP team, recounted the experience, "We came to visit the school here in Rampura. Our colleagues had visited here even a year back, and schools were being run in a buffalo shed. We came here to see that again. BJP-RSS goons were already present here. They hit us with sticks, pushed us, and even pelted stones at us. They pushed me to the ground and beat me with a stick, I have suffered an injury to my hand. It is hurting a lot..."

The incident has drawn sharp reactions from political leaders and ignited a feud between opposition figures and local residents over the condition and future of the school building. The alleged attack drew swift condemnation from senior Rajasthan Congress leaders, who accused the state's ruling party of using violent tactics to hide infrastructure deficiencies in public schools.

Rajasthan's Leader of Opposition, Tika Ram Jully, condemned the violence, stating the state is trying to hide the poor condition of government schools.

"This is wrong. I condemn this. There should be no violence. The condition of schools should come to light. There is no place for such violence in India. People must present their views in a non-violent manner. Schools are in bad condition; they want to hide it and cover up their sins. They won't be able to do it," said Jully.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra alleged the attackers were BJP workers acting on orders from the top to suppress public interest.

"They were not villagers, but BJP workers. BJP workers will oppose everything that is in public interest. They will follow only orders from the top. If anyone is stopped from visiting a school or attacked, we condemn it. Congress will stand with everyone who is fed up with this Govt," he said.
Conversely, locals of Rampura Kanwarpura denied engaging in violence, presenting a starkly different account of the day's events. Villagers maintained that the confrontation was limited to a heated discussion and alleged that the visitors caused damage to their own vehicle while attempting to forcefully dismantle the school structure.

Jugal Kishore Sharma, a villager, denied attacking CJP, claiming the team arrived with 200-250 people and damaged their own vehicle. Noted ₹12 Lakhs was sanctioned via the local MLA for repairs.

He said, "We did not do anything. They had brought 200-250 people with them. We did not hit them. We spoke to them calmly, but they broke their own car. They say that they had come to repair the school. But this will be done by our MLA; Rs 12 Lakhs has been earmarked for it. We opposed it because we will not let any party except BJP or Congress come here. My wife is so scared that she has not stepped out of the house."

Anu Sharma, another villager, said locals opposed CJP over fears they intended to tear down the building where 20-25 students study, maintaining there was only a "heated exchange."

"We opposed them because they are attempting to tear down this school... About 20-25 students come here to study. Where will they go?.. We won't let them tear down the school. Funds (for repair) have already been passed... There was just a heated exchange," he added.

Locals insist that government funds amounting to ₹12 lakh have already been sanctioned by the area MLA to repair the educational facility.
Earlier this week, on Monday, Ashutosh Ranka challenged Rajasthan Education Minister Madan Dilawar following an official circular restricting external visitors from entering government schools.

Rebuffing potential police action, Ranka declared that ongoing inspections of dilapidated school infrastructure across the state would continue unabated.

In a post on X, Ranka targeted Education Minister Madan Dilawar and said, "Madan Dilawar ji, either fix all the dilapidated schools in Rajasthan, or go ahead and file an FIR against us in advance. You can even arrest us in advance. It's your government, your police. But we won't stop inspecting the schools until all schools in Rajasthan are fixed.