UP News: Gorakhpur Girl’s Plea For Education Sparks Political Row, Exposes Gaps In Access And Equity

The case of  Pankhuri Tripathi from Gorakhpur has raised disturbing questions about the state of education access across the state. After being forced to leave school due to financial constraints, her family had to approach the Chief Minister himself during a Janata Darshan event on July 1 to seek pursue basic right of education by fee waiver. Only after public pleading did authorities act to restore her admission.

While Pankhuri has now resumed her studies at Saraswati Shishu Mandir, opposition leaders, including former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, have called the entire episode a reflection of systemic failure. “Why must a child appeal to the state’s highest chair for something as fundamental as education?” he questioned, accusing the BJP government of turning children's suffering into political display.

Though Pankhuri later declined Yadav’s offer for assistance, saying she had faith in “our CM,” the SP leader asserted that her family's words showed clear signs of pressure and fear.

“First they were made to run from pillar to post for months, then paraded as a success story under duress,” he alleged in a strongly worded post.
Akhilesh further recalled past incidents where underprivileged students were treated with apathy, citing the demolition of a girl’s home for lacking proper documentation. He challenged the BJP to prove its seriousness by regulating the rampant fee exploitation in private schools across the state.
Critics argue that this case is not an example of compassion but an indictment of a system where the poor are forced to grovel for their rights. They question how many more children might be suffering silently without access to a public platform or a Chief Minister’s ear.