Goaded by daughters, BJP MLA returns to books

A 59-year-old BJP MLA in Rajasthan passed Class 12 exam this year and has now enrolled for undergraduate course in political science.

Phool Singh Meena, legislator from Udaipur (Rural), returned to studies in 2013, 41 years after dropping out of school in 1972.

“I was in Class 7 when my father passed away. He was in the Central Reserve Police Force. I had to drop out of school to look after the family because my two elder brothers were already working in the Army,” said Meena. He said he was a farmer for around 12 years before joining politics in 998 when BJP fielder his wife in the local body election.

“She lost the election but I got into politics,” the MLA said.

Meena has five daughters, three of whom are married. The youngest is studying

Law from a private university in Pune.

“I was elected a councilor in Udaipur Municipal Corporation in 2004. My daughters would say, ‘Papa you attend meetings with IAS officers and you have so less education’. They goaded me to complete my education,” he said.

Meena appeared for National Open School Class 10 exam in 2013 but managed to clear only three subjects. “I was given party ticket for Assembly election and I got busy in canvassing so couldn’t focus much on the exam,” he said.

The next year, he got involved in local bodies elections followed by the Lok Sabha polls and couldn’t clear the remaining two papers.

The MLA passed Class 10 in 2015 and Class 12 the following year.

“My daughters helped me study. They all wanted me to pass as quickly as possible. Now that I have finished school, I want to be a graduate,” said Meena.

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