CJP Takes School Education Campaign To Odisha, Demands Minister Nityananda Gond’s Resignation

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has expanded its School Thik Karo campaign to Odisha, with co-convenor Saurav Das visiting government schools in and around Bhubaneswar and backing an ongoing student-led agitation over errors in school textbooks.

Das also called for the resignation of Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, arguing that responsibility should be fixed for the mistakes found in textbooks for Classes I to VIII.

The development comes as the Nabnirman Yuva Chhatra Sangathan (NYCS) continues its protest over the textbook controversy and prepares to gherao the Odisha Assembly.

CJP Leader Visits Government Schools In Odisha

Saurav Das arrived in Bhubaneswar on Monday along with CJP Joint Secretary (Organisation) Balkrishna Shukla and members of the party’s Odisha unit.

As part of the campaign, Das visited three government schools, including an SC/ST Ashram school in Bhubaneswar. He subsequently raised concerns over sanitation, infrastructure and the condition of some structures within the school premises.

Das said the CJP was supporting the NYCS agitation and called for improvements in government schools.

The Odisha visit follows similar school inspections conducted by CJP teams in other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Textbook Errors Trigger Protests

The controversy in Odisha intensified after 1,678 factual, typographical and printing errors were reportedly identified in textbooks covering various subjects for Classes I to VIII.

The BJP-led Odisha government subsequently initiated disciplinary action against officials associated with the textbook preparation process.

Four officials were suspended, while disciplinary proceedings were initiated against six others. The government also accepted recommendations aimed at strengthening the textbook review mechanism, including a multi-stage proofreading process and the creation of a Textbook Quality Assurance Cell.

Corrected editions of textbooks have also started being distributed, according to reports.

NYCS Demands Accountability

The NYCS, the youth and student wing of the Odisha-based Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan, has been protesting over the textbook errors since August 20.

The organisation has demanded education reforms, accountability for the mistakes and the resignation of Minister Nityananda Gond.

NNKS founder Akshaya Kumar began an indefinite hunger strike on September 5 in support of the agitation. CJP’s Das joined the protesters during his Odisha visit.

Das claimed that around Rs 380 crore had been spent on printing textbooks and argued that those responsible for the errors should be held accountable.

The figure has also been cited by the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which has alleged irregularities in the textbook publication process and called for a CBI investigation.

Odisha Government Begins Corrective Measures

The State Government has admitted that the textbooks have issues and has taken steps to address these.

Minister Nityananda Gond had earlier stated that they will be dealt with after an inquiry following their commission of the offence. The government has also started correcting textbooks for Classes I to VIII.

Meanwhile, the measures taken thus far have not stopped the political and student-led protests and people continue to demand accountability and reform in the education system.

BJP Responds To CJP's Allegations

Odisha BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal rejected Saurav Das’s allegations and questioned the CJP’s political motives.

Biswal accused the organisation of selectively targeting BJP-ruled states and described its allegations as political in nature.

Meanwhile, the NYCS has called for a peaceful gherao of the Odisha Assembly as the Monsoon Session begins, keeping the textbook controversy at the centre of its protest.

With CJP now joining the Odisha agitation, the state’s textbook dispute has become another focus of the organisation’s wider campaign on government-school infrastructure, education standards and accountability.