UP Minister OP Rajbhar Mocks SP’s 'PDA Pathshala,' Calls It 'Parivar Development Authority'

Uttar Pradesh Minister OP Rajbhar has taken a sharp swipe at the Samajwadi Party’s new educational initiative, “PDA Pathshala,” calling it a “Parivar Development Authority” rather than a school for children.

Rajbhar mocked the program, saying it teaches the alphabet not with educational values but with references to the Samajwadi Party’s top family members. “In their school, A stands for Akhilesh, D for Dimple, and P for Parivar,” he said, accusing the SP of promoting family politics under the guise of social welfare.

The Samajwadi Party launched PDA Pathshala earlier this year in protest against the Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to merge or close down several primary schools across Uttar Pradesh. The party claims the closures have deprived thousands of children from backward, Dalit, and minority communities of basic education. The PDA Pathshala aims to fill this gap by offering free grassroots learning in informal community-run setups, focusing on literacy, social awareness, and political education.

The move has sparked controversy and intensified the political slugfest between the Samajwadi Party and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The Uttar Pradesh government has registered FIRs against several SP leaders and workers for allegedly running unauthorized schools and politicizing education. BJP leaders have accused the SP of using children as instruments of political indoctrination. “They are trying to poison young minds with divisive propaganda instead of providing real education,” said a senior BJP spokesperson.

The Samajwadi Party, however, has defended its initiative, arguing that PDA Pathshala is a social response to government apathy. “When the government shuts schools and denies education to Dalits, OBCs, and minorities, we will open doors of learning ourselves,” an SP functionary said. “The BJP fears an aware generation that questions inequality.”

The row over PDA Pathshala reflects deeper political tensions in Uttar Pradesh as the 2027 assembly elections draw closer. Education has become the new battleground for warring parties seeking to shape the social narrative. While the Yogi Adityanath government insists that merging schools is meant to optimize resources and improve standards, opposition parties see it as a step that disproportionately affects children from weaker sections.

Analysts view the PDA Pathshala campaign as part of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s broader strategy to rebuild his party’s traditional support base among OBCs, Dalits, and minorities. By invoking the legacy of Ambedkar, Charan Singh, and Mulayam Singh alongside contemporary figures like Akhilesh and Dimple Yadav, the SP appears to be blending social justice with emotional symbolism.

Minister OP Rajbhar’s remarks have further inflamed the debate, highlighting how education, identity, and politics are now deeply intertwined in Uttar Pradesh’s evolving electoral landscape. The controversy is expected to intensify as both parties use the issue to rally their respective constituencies in the run-up to the 2027 polls.