Unrepenting' Anjaneya reiterates view on private schools, prostitution

Refusing to back down despite the uproar his remark comparing private educational institutions to brothels has caused, Social Welfare Minister, Anjaneya on Friday said he did not regret using strong language against these institutes that fleeced the poor. He however, claimed he had only compared the way they functioned to prostitution and had not called them brothels as reported.

Speaking to reporters here, he confirmed that he had received a letter from Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) president, Dr G Parameshwar, asking him to explain his statement. “I will humbly tell him about the circumstances that forced me to use such language. Many poor backward class people have complained to me about being fleeced by the private schools. Some of them had to pledge or sell their gold to get their children educated in these schools,” he said.

Claiming he had not referred to these institutions as brothels, the minister added, “I only observed that their behaviour was similar to prostitution . I will submit the facts to the KPCC chief.”