SP’s ‘PDA Pathshala’ sparks row over ‘A for Akhilesh, D for Dimple’ lessons

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party’s grassroots campaign, ‘PDA Pathshala’, meant to oppose the Uttar Pradesh government’s school merger policy, has landed in controversy after videos emerged showing children being taught politically loaded alphabets — “A for Akhilesh” and “D for Dimple” — referring to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife, MP Dimple Yadav.

What began as a protest initiative outside schools marked for merger has now snowballed into a political firestorm, with several FIRs being registered against SP leaders for allegedly turning these makeshift classrooms into platforms for party propaganda. In viral clips from various districts, children are seen chanting slogans such as “Samajwadi Party aayegi, punah pathshala khulwaayegi” (SP will return and reopen schools), raising questions over the politicisation of education.

In Bhadohi, a formal complaint was lodged by the principal of Sikandara Primary School, alleging that SP leader Anjani Saroj and her supporters forcibly entered the school premises on July 29, distributed notebooks and stationery, pasted party posters, and led schoolchildren in pro-SP chants. The Chaura police have registered an FIR based on the complaint, and video evidence has reportedly been handed over.

Reacting strongly to the controversy, BJP’s Uttar Pradesh President Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary condemned the initiative as an attempt to “politically brainwash” children. “This is not education — it’s Samajwadi brainwashing. Teaching ‘A for Akhilesh’ and ‘D for Dimple’ is a clear attempt to inject political bias into young, impressionable minds,” he said at a press briefing in Saharanpur.

Chaudhary alleged that the SP was again playing with the future of children, just as it did during its time in power. “If they truly cared about education, they would teach A for APJ Abdul Kalam. But their thinking is stuck within the boundaries of family politics,” he said.