Dharamshala, Dec 21 (PTI) The BJP on Saturday walked out of the Himachal Assembly over the closure of 1,865 institutions, including 1,094 primary schools, terming the move politically motivated.

The information on the closures was shared by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in response to the question of BJP MLA Randhir Sharma on the institutions de-notified, notified and opened by the Congress government.

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As Sukhu read his response, several opposition members, including former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, accused the government of politicising education.

The BJP members raised slogans and staged a walkout after Sukhu asserted that the government would open these institutions only when there would be a need for them.

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When Thakur took exception to the state slipping to 22nd position in education over the past two years, Sukhu said HP already ranked 21 when the BJP was in power.

The CM asserted that the decision to close schools was consistent with such measures as have been taken by BJP-ruled states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.

Sukhu claimed that the erstwhile BJP government opened 1,875 institutions without adequate infrastructure, staff and budget allocation.

He also claimed that the closure of schools with "zero or minimal enrolment" would not result in dropouts as the students would be supported to attend nearby schools with the government bearing their expenses up to Rs 5,000.

Education minister Rohit Thakur said the number of single-teacher schools has been reduced from 3,400 to 2,600 with the appointment of 2,000 teachers.

The Speaker termed the BJP's walkout "unwarranted and irresponsible."

Thakur later told reporters that the government's claim that the institutions would be opened on a need basis "lacked credibility" as it announced the de-notification just one day after assuming office with hardly any time for an assessment.

The decision was politically motivated and a reflection of political vendetta, he said and alleged that the Sukhu government had been undoing the work done by his own party's government led by Virbhadra Singh.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)