Delhi Parent Association on Monday staged a protest outside the Directorate of Education (DoE), alleging coercive actions by two private schools in east and southwest Delhi to recover “unapproved” hiked fees from parents of children studying in these schools.. A parents’ association has alleged that two private schools in east and southwest Delhi used coercive measures to recover ‘unapproved’ hiked fees from parents. (Representational image). (Unsplash/ivalex). According to complaints submitted to the education department, the schools allegedly struck off the names of several students from their rolls and withheld report-cum-progress cards of dozens of others for not paying the alleged increased fees.. The parents claimed that they had been raising the issue with authorities for nearly two years, but the schools continued to take “arbitrary and coercive” measures despite multiple directions issued by the education department.. In their representation, the parents said the schools maintained that prior approval from the DoE was not required before revising fees, citing certain court rulings. However, the parents alleged that the department had already issued show-cause notices and other directions to the schools, which were being “blatantly disregarded”.. However, there was no immediate reaction available from the schools or the education department.. They further stated that several parents had approached the Delhi high court in the matter, where the issue of fee hike is currently under consideration. The Court, they said, had directed limited interim relief in one case, while the broader dispute remains pending.. Despite this, the parents alleged that the schools continued to issue fresh “striking off” notices and emails warning of further action if the disputed fee amount was not paid by the end of March.. The association claimed that such actions were adversely affecting students’ academic interests and causing mental stress to families.. Citing provisions of the Delhi School Education Act 1973 and related rules, the parents argued that private unaided schools cannot enforce arbitrary fee hikes without regulatory oversight, and cannot take punitive action against students over disputed dues.. They demanded immediate intervention by the Directorate of Education to ensure restoration of students’ names, release of withheld report cards, and withdrawal of coercive notices.. The parents also urged the department to take action against the schools for alleged violations of norms and to ensure that no student faces academic disruption due to the ongoing fee dispute. 

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday drew loud cheers from the crowd when he said he was looking forward to Kerala having a woman chief minister.. Rahul Gandhi’s remarks, coupled with a bicycle ride alongside local candidates, drew enthusiastic responses from the crowd. (PTI file photo). Addressing a rally in Puthuppally here, Gandhi spoke about the guarantees announced by the Congress if it comes to power, including free KSRTC bus travel for women and a monthly assistance of ₹1,000 for college-going girl students.. He said the Congress wants women to be active participants in Kerala’s development.. ALSO READ | Model of injustice against Dalits, tribals in Gujarat: Rahul Gandhi. “In fact, we are looking forward to the day when we have a woman chief minister of Kerala,” he said, drawing a loud response from the crowd.. He also remarked that men were not clapping enough for the statement.. “We want women of Kerala to fulfil their dreams. Whatever they want to do, we want them to succeed,” he said.. He said the Congress would ensure that women have the freedom to go wherever they want and pursue the jobs they choose.. ALSO READ | Losing turf, 2021 upset: What is behind Congress’s ‘solo’ gamble in West Bengal. “For this purpose, our guarantees include free travel for women in KSRTC buses,” he said.. No woman has so far been elevated to the post of Chief Minister in Kerala, despite prominent leaders, including K R Gouri Amma, playing significant roles in the state’s politics.. In this election, the Congress has fielded only nine women candidates out of 92, while UDF allies, the Indian Union Muslim League, have fielded two women candidates, and KK Rama of the Revolutionary Marxist Party is also contesting the April 9 poll.. ALSO READ | Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan attacks Rahul Gandhi, says he lacks understanding. After the event in Puthuppally, Gandhi joined sitting MLA Chandy Oommen and the Congress candidate for a bicycle ride.. Oommen has been riding a bicycle as part of his election campaign.. Both rode for a few miles, giving security personnel a tough time as they had to run behind them.. Crowds gathered on both sides of the road cheered the leaders.. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. 

 Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the Congress party, stating that the root cause of naxalism in India dated back to the 1970s when Indira Gandhi served as the Prime Minister.. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha during the budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi (Sansad TV). Speaking in the Lok Sabha, the senior BJP leader stated that the root cause of naxalism in India was not the demand for development, but rather the embrace of left wing ideology.. “I want to tell, the main reason of Naxalism is not the demand of development, but an ideology, to win the Presidential election, from 1970 Indira ji accepted that due to leftist ideology, Naxalism spread,” he said, alleging that Gandhi used the ideology to tilt the 1971 presidential election in favour of V.V. Giri.. “Twelve states- Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal, Kerala, parts of Karnataka, and three districts of Uttar Pradesh were affected. A complete ‘Red Corridor’ was formed, and the rule of law ended there. Twelve crore people lived in poverty for years, and no one showed any concern. Thousands of young lives were lost. Many were left permanently disabled or crippled for the rest of their lives. Who is responsible for this?” Shah asked further.. The BJP leader further hit out at the Congress party, accusing them of pushing aside the focus on development of India.. “For sixty years, you failed to provide them with homes or access to clean water; you built no schools for them; you prevented mobile towers and banking facilities from reaching their areas, and yet, now you are the ones demanding accountability?” said Shah, adding that development only took place from 2014 onwards, with the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.. (With inputs from PTI, ANI) 

 Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday hit out at the Congress party, stating that the root cause of naxalism in India dated back to the 1970s when Indira Gandhi served as the Prime Minister.. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha during the budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi (Sansad TV). Speaking in the Lok Sabha, the senior BJP leader stated that the root cause of naxalism in India was not the demand for development, but rather the embrace of left wing ideology.. “I want to tell, the main reason of Naxalism is not the demand of development, but an ideology, to win the Presidential election, from 1970 Indira ji accepted that due to leftist ideology, Naxalism spread,” he said, alleging that Gandhi used the ideology to tilt the 1971 presidential election in favour of V.V. Giri.. “Twelve states- Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Bengal, Kerala, parts of Karnataka, and three districts of Uttar Pradesh were affected. A complete ‘Red Corridor’ was formed, and the rule of law ended there. Twelve crore people lived in poverty for years, and no one showed any concern. Thousands of young lives were lost. Many were left permanently disabled or crippled for the rest of their lives. Who is responsible for this?” Shah asked further.. The BJP leader further hit out at the Congress party, accusing them of pushing aside the focus on development of India.. “For sixty years, you failed to provide them with homes or access to clean water; you built no schools for them; you prevented mobile towers and banking facilities from reaching their areas, and yet, now you are the ones demanding accountability?” said Shah, adding that development only took place from 2014 onwards, with the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.. (With inputs from PTI, ANI) 

 Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday questioned Debasish Kumar, Trinamool Congress MLA and candidate for the upcoming assembly poll from south Kolkata’s high-profile Rashbehari assembly seat, in connection with alleged land deals in the city, an official from the federal agency said, requesting anonymity.. Debasish Kumar, a member of the Mayor-in-Council at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), won the Rashbehari seat for the first time in 2021. (https://www.debasishkumar.com). Kumar, a member of the Mayor-in-Council at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), won the Rashbehari seat for the first time in 2021. In the coming two-phase Bengal polls, he is pitted against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Swapan Dasgupta, a senior journalist and former Rajya Sabha member.. “Kumar came under scrutiny after documents recently seized from the residence of a real estate businessman, Amit Ganguly, indicated that some disputed lands were sold at a high price for real estate business. Papers used for these land deals could only be provided by KMC insiders,” the ED official said.. Kumar was summoned in the morning and asked by ED officials to return in the afternoon with relevant documents.. “I will not utter a word about the investigation or why I was summoned,” Kumar told reporters outside the ED office.. TMC state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar alleged that the ED probe was politically motivated.. “The BJP knows it cannot win the Bengal polls. This is not the first time it has used federal agencies against TMC leaders before elections,” Majumdar said.. Bengal BJP’s chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”. “Why is ED questioning Kumar and not you or me? TMC should stop making the same baseless allegation whenever there is an ED or CBI operation. Why don’t they move court saying their candidate is being harassed unnecessarily,” Sarkar said.