'Dummy students' at Latur school? Abhijeet Dipke makes shocking allegation

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founding president Abhijeet Dipke has alleged that students from another school were brought to a Zilla Parishad primary school in Maharashtra's Latur district during his visit on Thursday.

Dipke was visiting the school in Ausa taluka as part of the CJP's nationwide 'School Thik Karo' campaign, which aims to highlight shortcomings in government schools and push for better infrastructure and educational facilities.

According to Dipke, some of the children present at the school were not enrolled there. In a video shared on X, he is seen asking students where their school bags were. The children reportedly replied that their bags were at their respective schools.

Dipke alleged that "dummy students were brought in" to present a better picture of the school during his visit.

"Authorities in Maharashtra are using kids as dummy students during our social audit to cover up the government’s failures. Why do you have to stoop so low? Why not just improve the schools?" Dipke wrote on X.

'Shiny plates' raise questions

Dipke also raised questions over the arrangements for students' midday meals.

He said he was surprised to see newly supplied steel plates being used at the school and questioned when they had been provided.

"I was actually surprised to see such shiny plates being used in a government school and wondered since when such plates had been provided," Dipke said while speaking to journalists.

He claimed he was later told that the plates had been brought to the school after authorities learnt about his planned visit.

Dipke alleged that the school also lacked adequate drinking-water facilities and that its toilets and premises had been cleaned shortly before his arrival.

Liquor bottles, suspected marijuana rolls alleged

The CJP leader further alleged that some children present in classrooms did not appear on the school's rolls.

According to Dipke, when he questioned a teacher who was holding additional charge in the absence of the headmaster, the teacher said he was unaware of who had brought the students to the school.

Dipke also claimed that photographs and videos from the premises showed empty liquor bottles and what he described as suspected marijuana rolls.

"Government schools in Latur have become an adda for drinking and smoking," Dipke alleged, claiming such activity was taking place around 200 metres from the office of a block development officer.

CJP campaign seeks accountability

Dipke said the incident highlighted the issues his organisation wants to raise through the 'School Thik Karo' campaign.

He said authorities should address problems in government schools instead of making temporary arrangements before inspections, adding that the campaign would put pressure on officials and elected representatives to improve facilities and ensure accountability.