The Maharashtra Rajya Shikshak Parishad (MRSP) has written to the chief minister, demanding withdrawal of the proposed self-financed private schools bill on the grounds that it would lead to profiteering by the school managements and exploitation of the poor.
MRSP officials have maintained that while the government is unable to regulate the existing private unaided schools, the addition of new ones will create a class divide and segregate the students on the lines of haves and have-nots. Speaking on the issue, Anil Bornare, president of MRSP, Mumbai division said, “Already there are so many private unaided schools across the state. These school have been earning huge profits by exploiting teachers, students and their parents. The concept of self-financed schools would only give a boost to many private players who are looking forward to profiteering. ”
The school education department is keen on introducing the self-financed private schools bill in a bid to achieve the goal of setting up a school in each and every area of the state. As per the new bill, an institution will be established, maintained and administered on a self-financing basis and all expenses whatsoever shall be borne by the management itself.
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Four held for kidnapping estate agent
Age Correspondent
Mumbai, March 26
Four men, who had kidnapped a real estate agent in Versova and were taking him to Kurla, were arrested after a patrolling police team spotted them.
According to the Nehru Nagar police, a team of patrolling beat marshals saw a Toyota Qualis waiting at a signal at the Nehru Nagar junction on Sunday night, and decided to conduct a random check.
However, the car started speeding away as soon as the policemen drew close, which made the police suspicious. They gave chase and caught up with the car around 200 meters ahead.
“The constables searched the car and found a man bound and gagged inside the trunk. He was freed and taken to the police station along with the four other occupants of the car, where they confessed to having kidnapped him,” said an officer with the Nehru Nagar police.
The victim, Sachin Ghangale is a real estate agent based in Versova and had borrowed money from the men for an ongoing construction project. However, when he was unable to return it in the promised time, the men kidnapped him, and had planned to hold him to ransom.
The four kidnappers were identified as Nilesh Kadam (28), Mangesh Khadega-onkar (34), Pramod Jadhav (42) and Amit Ashok (29). Following their confession on Monday afternoon, they were placed under arrest and will be produced in court on Tuesday, the police said.