‘We are villagers, not from BJP’: Locals who chased out CJP leaders expose lies by Ashutosh Ranka

Villagers of Rampura Kanwarpura in Jaipur’s Bagru Assembly constituency have rejected claims made by Cockroach Janta Party leader Ashutosh Ranka that the BJP was behind the clash with CJP members on 21st July. The villagers said that they acted on their own to stop the group from damaging a government primary school that is already set to be repaired.

A local woman, Anu Sharma, said the villagers had no political connection to the BJP and were only trying to protect the school where children from the locality study.

“We are villagers, not from the BJP. Our children study here, so we opposed those who wanted to demolish the school,” she said.

‘Where will our children go?’

According to Sharma, a fund for the repair of the school building has already been approved. Until the renovation work is completed, around 20-25 children enrolled there are attending classes in a cattle shelter, while some others are studying at other people’s houses.

She said the villagers were worried about where the children would go if the building was torn down before the approved repair work could take place.

“CJP members are trying to demolish it. There are small children from our locality. Around 20-25 children come here; where will they go to study?” she said.

Sharma said the villagers did not want the school to be demolished because it was scheduled to be renovated. She said the anger began when CJP members came to the village and, according to the locals, tried to damage the school building.

The villagers then refused to let them proceed.

Villagers chase out CJP members

The confrontation took place on Friday morning, 21st August, when a group of CJP members reached Rampura Kanwarpura to inspect the government primary school. Party co-convener Ashutosh Ranka was also expected to join the visit.

As news of the CJP team’s visit spread, villagers gathered near the main approach road and began checking vehicles entering the area. They also staged a sit-in outside the school and stopped the CJP members from entering freely.

A heated confrontation followed, with villagers physically pushing and chasing the CJP members out of the area. The locals said they were angry because they believed the group had come to damage the school building despite repair funds already being approved.

Sharma said there was also a scuffle involving two women who had come with the group.

“We fought. Two women came here, so we got into a fight with them. Nothing else happened,” she said, adding that the villagers had earlier asked the visitors not to come to the site, but they still arrived early in the morning.

She said the villagers then came together, made their position clear and sent the CJP members back.

The villagers have maintained that they acted on their own because the issue concerned the school and the education of their children.