Save Bandhyali School (Digantar, Jaipur)

The Bandhyali School (run by Digantar) offers path-breaking education to children from underprivileged families in the outskirts of the city Jaipur (in Rajasthan, India). On 2nd December 2005, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), has sent an eviction notice to the school to vacate the land in three days. This action of the JDA strikes at the heart of Indias democratic ideals. This petition explains why, and seeks your support and solidarity to save the Bandhyali School from shutting down.

The Bandhyali School is a common school for all children of local community. This was set-up in community land with the support of the Ministry of Human Resource Development over a decade ago. This one school has been a national example of what education can be, and it most directly reflects the ideals of Indias Education Policy. In turn, the school has been a beacon, inspiring several such progressive efforts across India.

The land belongs to the local community and the Government. Digantar has repeatedly applied to the JDA to allot the land to the school (which is a social effort of the community, not a private effort of a few). It has been willing to buy the land if required. Instead, in an arbitrary, non-transparent and extremely irresponsible manner, the JDA has reserved this land for a private university, ignoring Digantars old and social claim.

Fortunately the High Court has ordered to maintain status quo till JDA files its response. To our mind JDAs insistence on removal of the school would be:
1. a violent disruption of childrens right to education,
2. blatant discrimination against Digantar, and
3. destruction of a very good quality school for the marginalized to favour privatisation of education.

We cannot let this happen. The Bandhyali School is a social asset that we all must protect. This is an appeal to each of you to help in any which way you can. What you can do:
1. Sign this petition, and forward to others.
2. Please write to the Governor, Chief Minister and Education Minister of Rajasthan as early as possible.
3. Any other act that will help this cause directly.

Contacts of the people in in power (precede all numbers with the Jaipur telephone code 0141):
1. The Governor, Raj Bhavan, Civil Lines, Jaipur, Rajasthan. Tel: (O) 2228717, 2228792. Fax: 2228737
2. The Chief Minister, Government of Rajasthan. Tel: (O) 2227351, 2227308, (R) 2355567. Fax: 2227687
3. The Education Minister, 127 Main Building, Secretariat, Jaipur. Tel: (O) 2227418 (R) 2293666. Fax: 2227418
4. Education Secretary, 127 Main Building, Secretariat, Jaipur. Tel: (O) 2227389
5. Jagdish Chandra, Commissioner, Jaipur Development Authority, Indira Circle, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Jaipur. Tel: (O) 2563035. Email: [email protected]