In a grim incident that has sparked outrage and debate, a 16-year-old schoolgirl in Surat, took her own life after reportedly facing pressure and mistreatment over unpaid school fees. The incident has cast a shadow over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ scheme, aimed at empowering girls through education.
The student’s family alleges that she was subjected to harsh punishment for failing to pay her annual school fee of Rs 15,000.
According to her father, the girl was made to stand for two hours as a form of discipline, despite assurances that the fees would be cleared by mid-February. Fearing further humiliation, she reportedly stopped attending school and, on January 20, was found hanged at home.
CCTV footage from the school shows the student sitting alone in a computer lab, raising further concerns about the treatment meted out to her. The family claims this isolation and punitive environment led to her extreme decision.
The Godadara police has registered an accidental death report and are investigating the family’s claims. Inspector H S Acharya said, “We are looking into whether there were other factors contributing to her suicide. Statements from friends, family, and school officials are being recorded.”
The school, however, denies the allegations. A representative told a section of the media that students are not directly reprimanded over unpaid fees but are merely asked to remind their parents. The District Education Officer (DEO) has also launched an inquiry, with Officer Narendra Vasava promising legal action if any wrongdoing is found.
Congress spokesperson Dr Manish Doshi has criticised the BJP government for failing to uphold its educational initiatives.
“The school administration was doing injustice and not acceptable conduct towards the child. BJP must take responsibility and apologise,” he told Vibes of India.
He further noted that similar cases of students facing pressure over unpaid fees had occurred in other parts of Gujarat, including Baroda and Rajkot, adding, “This reflects the failure of the BJP government to protect students under its ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ initiative.”
Meanwhile, BJP Gujarat’s state media convenor, Dr Yagnesh Dave, called the incident “unfortunate” and refrained from engaging in political debates over the matter.
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