Headmaster Suspended Over SP Chief’s Birthday Celebration At Kanpur School, Political Row Erupts
Headmaster Suspended Over SP Chief’s Birthday Celebration At Kanpur School, Political Row Erupts Reported By, Last Updated: July 04, 2026, 10:31 IST Photographs showing Akhilesh
Headmaster Suspended Over SP Chief’s Birthday Celebration At Kanpur School, Political Row Erupts Reported By, Last Updated: July 04, 2026, 10:31 IST Photographs showing Akhilesh Yadav’s portrait inside the school went viral, drawing criticism from BJP, which accused the Samajwadi Party of politicising educational institutions. Rapid Read Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. (Image: PTI) Can a government school become a battleground for political symbolism? That question has sparked a fresh political storm in Uttar Pradesh after the suspension of a government primary school principal for allegedly allowing the celebration of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s birthday on campus. The controversy escalated after the Samajwadi Party accused the BJP government of double standards, pointing to an earlier incident in which BJP MP Ramesh Awasthi allegedly taught children “M for Modi" and “N for Narendra" inside another government school without facing disciplinary action. The Basic Education Department suspended Navin Kumar Tripathi, headmaster of a government primary school in Parmat, Kanpur, after an inquiry found that political activities had been held on the premises. The suspension order said Tripathi had failed to prevent the use of the school campus for a political programme, prompting a departmental investigation.
The controversy began on July 1, when SP MLA Amitabh Bajpai visited the school to celebrate Akhilesh Yadav’s 53rd birthday. A cake was cut and uniforms were distributed to students. Photographs of the event, featuring Akhilesh Yadav’s portrait inside the school, soon went viral, triggering criticism from the BJP, which accused the Samajwadi Party of politicising educational institutions. Following complaints, Basic Shiksha Adhikari Hari Om Singh suspended Tripathi and ordered a detailed inquiry. Education department officials defended the action, saying, “Government schools cannot be used for political programmes by any political party. Appropriate action has been taken based on the inquiry report." However, the suspension has opened another front in Uttar Pradesh’s political battle. Defending the event, Bajpai said, “For the last ten years, I have been celebrating my birthday and Akhilesh Yadav ji’s birthday in government schools by distributing uniforms, books and educational material to children. If this is a crime, then the government should explain why no action was taken when BJP leaders conducted political activities inside schools." He maintained that the event was primarily a welfare programme for schoolchildren and that students were not made part of any political campaign.
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