The Cockroach Janta Celebration (CJP) has questioned authorities spending on the maintenance of Union ministers’ residences in Lutyens’ Delhi, saying the cash might as a substitute be used to enhance authorities faculties.
The remarks got here after a PTI report claimed that the annual maintenance invoice for Union ministers’ residences had risen from ₹27 crore in 2014-15 to a report ₹92 crore in 2025-26.
Reacting to the figures, the CJP wrote on X, “Cease fixing your lavish properties, and repair the faculties! ₹92 crore = 10 new world class authorities faculties. The cash is out there, the intent to make use of it for presidency faculties is lacking.”
In keeping with the info cited within the submit, which was claimed to have been obtained by an RTI, spending on the maintenance of the residences stood at ₹133.9 crore between 2014 and 2019, ₹250 crore between 2019 and 2024, and ₹174.5 crore between 2024 and 2026. The entire expenditure over the 12-year interval was put at ₹547.68 crore.
CJP’s ‘Faculty Thik Karo’ marketing campaign
This comes amid the CJP’s marketing campaign for higher infrastructure in rural authorities faculties. The celebration launched its ‘School Thik Karo’ marketing campaign on August 15, calling for social audits of colleges and enhancements in primary services equivalent to electrical energy, consuming water, bathrooms and mid-day meals.
The marketing campaign additionally raised the difficulty of transportation for college kids in rural areas. The CJP has stated that faculties shouldn’t need to wrestle for primary services when important public funds have been accessible elsewhere.
“Lack of funds was by no means the issue. Lack of intent is,” the celebration stated in a submit on X.
CJP raises PM CARES Fund query
Earlier, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke questioned why the PM CARES Fund couldn’t be used to enhance primary services in rural authorities faculties. The fund’s corpus rose 17.8% from ₹7,173.03 crore in 2023-24 to ₹8,452.07 crore in 2024-25, in accordance with its newest audited statements.
Dipke stated he had visited authorities faculties in villages in current days and located a number of missing primary services, together with consuming water.
“They’re struggling to get consuming water in faculties. So why are we not utilizing this cash for these youngsters’s faculties? Why is that this cash not getting used to construct new faculties?” he stated. He additionally pointed to a mismatch between the scarcity of funds reported by faculties and the dimensions of the PM CARES corpus. “So on one hand, it’s being stated that there aren’t any funds for faculties, and then again, ₹8,500 crore is mendacity within the PM CARES Fund,” he stated.
Dipke estimated {that a} well-equipped mannequin faculty might value round ₹8 crore. At that fee, he stated, the PM CARES corpus might theoretically fund greater than 1,000 such faculties.
“If one faculty prices ₹8 crore, then with ₹8,500 crore, greater than 1,000 new high-tech mannequin faculties might have been constructed. However none of that is taking place,” he stated.
The PM CARES Fund was arrange on March 27, 2020, to answer emergencies, together with the Covid-19 pandemic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is its chairperson, whereas the defence, house and finance ministers are trustees.
BJP hits again
The BJP rejected the criticism and accused the CJP of spreading misinformation concerning the PM CARES Fund.
The BJP’s Goa unit stated the fund was meant for emergency and catastrophe aid and took a swipe at Aam Aadmi Celebration chief Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the CJP was a “pet venture” of the AAP.
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“PM CARES funds are meant for emergency and catastrophe aid. Mr. @ArvindKejriwal, you taught your males good theatrics, however not primary details. That’s not shocking,” the BJP stated on X.
The celebration additionally challenged Dipke to go to Punjab and assess faculties there, questioning the AAP authorities’s claims about “world-class faculties”.
CJP alleges assault in Jaipur
CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka and several other celebration employees have been allegedly attacked throughout a go to to a authorities faculty in Jaipur’s Rampura-Kanwarpura village on Friday. The CJP staff had gone to examine the situation of the varsity as a part of its ‘Faculty Thik Karo’ marketing campaign.
ALSO READ | Ashutosh Ranka, CJP team stopped from entering Rajasthan village, allege assault
Ranka alleged {that a} group of individuals stopped the staff from coming into the village and assaulted him and different volunteers. He additionally claimed that one volunteer’s arm was damaged. Movies from the spot confirmed a confrontation between the CJP staff and a bunch of individuals, together with broken automotive home windows.
Ranka alleged that BJP employees have been behind the assault, however the declare has not been independently verified. The BJP has rejected the allegation.
