CJP school audits escalate after activist’s father killed in Bengal

Abdul Hafeez, a volunteer with the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), returned to his former primary school in Bankura district, West Bengal, on August 13 to audit conditions as part of the group's 'Fix the Schools' campaign. Hours later, he alleged that local BJP workers assaulted him and his father, Mohammad Mafik. Mafik died from his injuries two days later. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the attackers were 'criminals with no BJP connection' and promised action.

The CJP recently forced the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan after a 37-day protest. The group has now launched school audits across India using a four-point checklist: drinking water and functional toilets, electricity and usable classrooms, boundary walls and campus safety, and midday meals and teacher attendance. In Hingoli, Maharashtra, the CJP's protest led to the suspension of a school principal who was allegedly drunk on duty. Actor Prakash Raj praised the result, urging citizens to 'ask questions' and 'use your brain'.

In Rajasthan, the BJP-led state government imposed restrictions on outsiders entering government schools and taking photos or videos, citing student privacy. The CJP has vowed to continue its campaign. Education policy expert Samina Bano told Al Jazeera that the public school system needs 'disruptive change' and credited the CJP for bringing reform demands into mainstream politics.