AAP, BJP trade punches over Delhi's education model

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) The Delhi BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) indulged in a verbal duel on Tuesday over the state of educational institutions and fee hikes while highlighting the superiority of their respective ‘education models’.

While former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged uncontrolled fee hikes by private schools under the new government, Education Minister Ashish Sood mocked the previous AAP regime’s ‘world-class education model’ and accused him of spreading falsehoods to remain relevant in politics.

Sood said, “Kejriwal and the AAP are back to spreading a false narrative about their so-called education revolution and can’t help but indulge in divisive politics.”

“Their education minister, who brought about a ‘revolution’, was forced to change his Assembly seat and could not win the election despite this desperate measure,” he said, alleging that the hollow education model of the AAP was exposed before voters.

He said even Kejriwal, who used to project himself as a ‘messiah of development’, was rejected by Delhi voters.

Sood also mocked the AAP government for getting positive articles published in international media on its education model. “A government does not succeed by getting articles published in international newspapers but by working at the ground level,” he said.

“Does Kejriwal have any answer to why there are just 48 schools for 1,48,000 children in the Muslim-dominated area of North East? If he truly cared, why did the children have to travel seven kilometres or more to attend school?” asked Sood.

He said that under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, our government is serving all sections of society, irrespective of their religion or economic status.

“We have given admission to EWS students in private schools in all constituencies and are building CM-Shree schools equipped with smart classes,” he said.

Kejriwal is stooping low and issuing baseless statements just to remain relevant in politics, he said.

Earlier, while launching the AAP’s student wing, Kejriwal accused the BJP government of failing to keep private school managements in check.

He claimed credit for demolishing the “education mafia” in schools in Delhi, which runs “private schools in the city and raises fees at will”.

“It has just been three months since the Delhi government came to power, and private schools have raised fees and posted bouncers at their gates to keep away students who have not been able to pay school fees,” the AAP national convenor said, referring to a top private school in Dwarka.

--IANS

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