HC directs restoration of school building in front of BJP MP's house

The Allahabad High Court today took note of the demolition of a government primary school building in front of the bungalow of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in Gonda, and directed the authorities to restore the building and do the needful by August 21.

The Lucknow bench of the high court said it was prima facie satisfied that the building was demolished for ulterior motives.

The court directed that the building be restored at the same place after it was informed that funds were demanded from State Project Director of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for reconstruction of the school building.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Rajesh Singh Chauhanpassed the order on a PIL moved by one Rana Pratap Singh.

The petitioner alleged that the school was demolished to provide a large space to the parliamentarian in front of his house, in collusion with education authorities and the village pradhan.

The claim that the school building was demolished because it was dilapidated is not correct, the petitioner said.

A new building for the school has been constructed over a private land, he claimed.

The Gonda district magistrate had on May 23 constituted a committee comprising district basic education officer, district collector and executive engineer of public works department, to probe the case. Subsequently, the inquiry report found the officials of the education department and village pradhan in the wrong.

Accordingly, the Gonda DM instituted departmental inquiry against the erring officials and the village pradhan.

The anxiety of the court is that the school building should be restored back at the same place where it was existing as prima facie, the court is of the view that this building was illegally demolished for ulterior motives," the court said after the inquiry report was submitted before it.