Delhi schools, buses in ‘pathetic’ state, claims BJP; AAP dismisses 'fraud' report

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 28

In the run up to the Delhi elections, the BJP is targeting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on issues that the AAP leader had made his key priorities—school education and DTC buses.

The BJP claims have, however, drawn a strong rebuttal from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. "The BJP MPs have given a fraud report on Delhi schools," Sisodia claimed.

This comes close on the heels of inflammatory speeches by BJP leaders who have tried to make the anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh a poll issue.   

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday shared a video on social media to junk Kejriwal’s claims that the AAP government had turned around neglected state-run schools.

अरविंद केजरीवाल जी आपने मुझे दिल्ली सरकार द्वारा संचालित स्कूल देखने के लिए बुलाया था। कल दिल्ली भाजपा के आठों सांसद अलग-अलग स्कूल में गए और देखिए इनका क्या हाल है...

इनकी बदहाली ने आपकी ‘शिक्षा की क्रांति’ के दावों की पोल खोल दी।

अब आपको दिल्ली की जनता को जवाब देना होगा... pic.twitter.com/gjzgaix2rA

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 28, 2020

In Shah’s post, Delhi BJP MPs can be seen personally inspecting the condition of schools.

“Mr Arvind Kejriwal since you had asked me to scrutinise government-run schools in Delhi, all eight MPs of BJP in Delhi decided to oblige on January 27. But contrary to your claims, their visit only exposed the pathetic condition of the schools and exposed the truth of your ‘education revolution’. Now you will have to answer the people of Delhi,” said Shah.

#Watch: #AAP released videos of schools where #BJP MPs visited, calls out 'fraud'@AamAadmiParty @ArvindKejriwal @AAPDelhi #DelhiElections #DelhiElections2020 #DelhiPolls

To watch the full video click https://t.co/DwepoCDa41 pic.twitter.com/2jVSDVCAyr

— IANS TV (@TvIans) January 28, 2020

BJP president JP Nadda also commented on the state of the transport system and the reducing number of functional DTC buses. 

Nadda told Kejriwal that his government had made the life of those who commute via buses “difficult and miserable”.

“You promised to give 5000 new DTC buses on the contrary in past five years the number of buses has reduced by 1000”, he said.

“The Supreme Court also reprimanded you repeatedly, asking you to purchase 11000 buses but despite that, your government kept sleeping,” Nadda added.

Notably, schools, free electricity, water and travel in DTC buses for women are issues the Kejriwal government is banking upon for his reelection.

BJP MPs gave fraud report on Delhi schools: Sisodia

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia on Tuesday called the report "fraud".

Speaking to the media, the two showed the video of the same schools where the MPs visited and said the BJP MPs hide the complete picture.

While they blamed MP Gautam Gambhir of showing a building which is non-functional and is closed for renovation since October, 2019, they said MP Parvesh Verma showed the old building in the video while he ensured that the new building was not visible.

"We brought a revolution in the education sector that people across the globe are talking about us. I felt very sad when (former BJP President) Amit Shah raised questions on the Delhi education model and make fun of students," said Kejriwal.

He expressed happiness that Delhi has more than 1,000 schools, but Shah and his MPs found only eight schools with issues.

Sisodia said the report the BJP MPs gave to Shah was a "fraud".

"Gambhir showed a school where renovation is going on. Maybe he was busy eating jalebis that he could not see the notice on the main gate," Sisodia took a jibe at the former cricketer.

Sisodia, also Delhi Education Minister, said the school where Verma visited had two building -- old and new.

"While he showed the old building, which is to be renovated and a few rooms are being used, he ensured that his video did not have the new building," Sisodia claimed.

He said there was a MCD school nearby where Verma visited and it does not have desks and was flooded with water, adding the MP should have seen that as well.

"The BJP is not able to find any issues and bringing fake problems," Sisodia added.

He continued and said another MP Hans Raj Hans visited a school late in the evening and "misbehaved with security staff."

"The MP went inside the common activity room and claimed there were no desks. He forgot that it was a multipurpose hall where students do yoga or dancing and so the room has only carpet and no desk," Sisodia said while he showed the video.

He also highlighted that the room was in good condition with the CCTV and green board.

"The MPs of Amit Shah went for reporting in schools and lied. It would have been good if Shah had briefed them before sending," Sisodia added.

Kejriwal said the Home Minister hates the AAP. "You hate Kejriwal and Sisodia. Do not insult our teachers, their students. Do not hate so much the city and its people." Kejriwal also claimed that the party will continue its campaign on the name of the work done and is not indulging in the "Shaheen bagh issue".

Besides targeting Kejriwal’s popular schemes, the BJP has also been trying to make the anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh a poll issue. BJP leaders like Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma have recently given inflammatory speeches on the subject.

If the BJP forms the government on February 11, “not a single person will be found at (the protest site) Shaheen Bagh”, Verma had said at a meeting.

"Lakhs of people gather there [Shaheen Bagh]. People of Delhi will have to think and take a decision. They will enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them. There's time today, Modi ji and Amit Shah won't come to save you tomorrow,” Verma was also quoted as saying by a news agency. With agency inputs

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