NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took a strong stance on Tuesday against the alleged harassment of parents and students by schools over fee hikes, declaring such actions unacceptable and promising strict consequences. In a video shared by ANI, Gupta stated that parents from various schools had approached her with serious complaints. She emphasized that no school had the right to harass parents or students, threaten expulsion, or impose unjustified fee hikes. She further stated that existing laws and regulations must be followed, and schools violating these rules would face strict action. Notices have already been issued to schools that have received complaints.

The CM's comments came amid growing outrage over allegations against a private school in Delhi. During a public dialogue program on Tuesday, parents of Queen Mary School, Model Town, raised concerns about wrongful fee collection and expulsion of students. Gupta responded immediately, directing officials to investigate the matter and take necessary action. She reaffirmed the Delhi government's commitment to transparency, equal opportunity, and protecting children's rights in education, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of injustice or exploitation.

While investigations are ongoing, parents and civil society groups are calling for greater accountability and long-term reforms to protect students from arbitrary actions by schools. In a separate incident, parents of students at DPS Dwarka have accused the school of publicly shaming and isolating children who did not pay an alleged “arbitrary and illegal” fee hike. The parents claimed that children who had not paid the increased fees were removed from their classrooms and confined to the library, where they were closely monitored and denied basic rights like using the washroom or drinking water. Parents described the treatment as criminal-like, with children being escorted by housekeeping staff. Attempts to contact the school's administration went unanswered, prompting a press conference by a group of parents, who are demanding an investigation, transparency, and action from both the school and the authorities. The school has yet to respond to the allegations.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from The Times of India.