'Don't insult, encourage': Kejriwal, Sisodia to LG on remark on govt schools

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's attack on Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena continued on Saturday as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia responded to his remarks on government schools in the national capital. "In the last seven years, a lot of effort has been put - along with teachers, students and their parents - for improving the imparting of education in Delhi. LG Sahab, instead of insulting them, should encourage them," the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted in Hindi.

Kejriwal tweeted this while sharing Manish Sisodia's response to the LG's letter on Friday. "LG Sahab made several false allegations in a letter yesterday. In my reply, I have urged him not to mock the Delhi teachers who have been able to do something wonderful. I have also appealed to him that as per Constitution, his responsibility is to take care of the law and order situation in the city. He can take care of that, and let us take care of the education sector," Sisodia wrote in Hindi in his tweet.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's attack on Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena continued on Saturday as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia responded to his remarks on government schools in the national capital. "In the last seven years, a lot of effort has been put - along with teachers, students and their parents - for improving the imparting of education in Delhi. LG Sahab, instead of insulting them, should encourage them," the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted in Hindi.

Kejriwal tweeted this while sharing Manish Sisodia's response to the LG's letter on Friday. "LG Sahab made several false allegations in a letter yesterday. In my reply, I have urged him not to mock the Delhi teachers who have been able to do something wonderful. I have also appealed to him that as per Constitution, his responsibility is to take care of the law and order situation in the city. He can take care of that, and let us take care of the education sector," Sisodia wrote in Hindi in his tweet.|#+|

In his letter, LG Saxena - who had hit back at the Delhi Chief Minister over his "who is LG" and "headmaster" comments - drew comparisons between the average attendance in the government schools since the AAP government took charge and underlined that the figures were better in the previous years. He also said that the enrolment had also dipped. Further stressing that the performance of government school students was not as good, he underlined that the number of students going to private schools in the national capital has also increased.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said in his latest response that "60,000 teachers, 18 lakh students and 36 lakh parents feel insulted" due to such comments. Rebuffing the enrolment figure stated in the LG letter of 15 lakh students in 2019-20, he said that from 14.6 lakh in 2015-16, the number of government school students has increased to 18 lakh. The Deputy Chief Minister also stressed that the pass percentage of the students has significantly increased over the last few years while students have also become more confident about appearing in entrance exams like IIT.

He also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his letter. "A few years back, US president Donald Trump came to Delhi along with his wife Melania Trump, who wanted to visit the Delhi government schools. It was discussed how PM Modi did not want her to visit the Delhi schools but any other state's government schools. But she persisted. What's happening in the government schools in the national capital is generating buzz in America too," the letter read. The Trumps had come to India in 2020.

The AAP vs LG standoff intensified last week over a proposal sent to him over teachers training in Finland. As the LG asked for a cost-benefit analysis, the Delhi government raised objections. Sisodia on Friday said the file had been resent even as the exchange of sharp comments continues.