Mayawati requests Centre, states to waive school fees of children

LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati urged the central and state governments on Saturday to cut down their "royal" expenses and waive the school fees of children in the larger public interest.

In a Hindi tweet, she said, "Following the coronavirus-induced lockdown, crores of people, who are already facing unemployment and an unprecedented crisis, are now facing the challenge of depositing the school fees of their children. It has come up in the form of protests and they have to face the police cane, which is very sad."

In another tweet, Mayawati said, "At the time of an 'Act of God', the government's role according to the Constitution should be that of a welfare state. The central and state governments should cut down their royal expenses, reimburse the fees of government and private schools, and in the larger public interest, waive the school fees of children."