Just 0.1%, or about Rs 32 crore, of the funds allotted for the next Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh Mela, according to Supreme Court Judge Justice Prasanna B. Varale, could have kept 100 to 125 Marathi-medium schools in Maharashtra from closing.
The judge was giving a speech at an event hosted by a high school in Maharashtra's Dhule region, which he had attended for a few years. The occasion marked the launch of "smart classes."
"Even 0.1 per cent of the Nashik Kumbh expenditure could have saved 100-125 Marathi schools from closing down," Justice Varale said, according to NDTV.
While speaking later told NDTV, the judge said "I have expressed what I truly feel in my heart."
"Children are the future of the country... Essential facilities must be provided for children in schools. Primary education and healthcare are fundamental rights of every citizen," he added in an exclusive interview.
The remarks come at a time when the condition of rural schools has drawn attention.
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