LUCKNOW, July 3 -- Uttar Pradesh Congress state president Ajay Rai and Apni Janata Party chief Swami Prasad Maurya and their supporters on Thursday hit the streets here against the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to merge primary and upper primary schools having less than 50 students. They said if the government did not roll back its decision of school merger, they would launch a major protest in the coming days.

Congress workers in large numbers under Ajay Rai reached the district collectorate where he handed over a memorandum addressed to governor Anandiben Patel and insisted on withdrawing the decision. Rai said due to the state government's decision, a large number of children will be deprived of basic education.

During his part...