India, July 1 -- LUCKNOW Apni Janata Party chief Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday took pot shots at the Bharatiya Janata Party government in UP over its recent decision of merger of schools with less than 50 students, alleging it was an attempt to hand over education into private hands.

"There are plans to close primary and upper primary schools with less than 50 students. The government is calling it 'school merger', but the ground reality is something else. Such decisions can endanger the future of education in rural areas, especially for the children of poor, Dalit, tribal and backward classes," he said speaking at a press conference at his residence here.

The former minister said the decision would deprive thousands of children of edu...