A bold statement from the Delhi Government has sparked a heated debate, leaving many questioning the truth behind a recent school safety circular.
Delhi's Education Minister, Ashish Sood, has taken a strong stance against what he calls "fake news and misinformation" spread by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The controversy revolves around a government directive aimed at enhancing school safety, particularly concerning stray dogs on school premises.
But here's where it gets controversial: Minister Sood asserts that AAP has deliberately twisted the facts, leading to false claims that teachers were instructed to "count dogs." He emphasizes that the circular's sole focus is student safety and preventing stray dogs from entering schools.
"The role of the nodal officer is clear: to conduct inspections, ensure stray dogs don't shelter on school grounds, and inform local bodies as needed. There's no mention of teachers counting dogs anywhere in the circular," Sood clarified during a press conference at the Delhi Secretariat.
And this is the part most people miss: the circular assigns specific responsibilities to security guards, gatekeepers, and chowkidars to prevent stray dogs from entering schools. School heads and office in-charges are directed to appoint a nodal officer for monitoring and coordination, with a limited role in inspections and reporting.
Sood directly blamed AAP's national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, for amplifying this misleading campaign on social media. He accused Kejriwal of spreading lies to stay politically relevant and demanded an apology to the people of Delhi.
The minister also criticized the previous AAP government's spending priorities, alleging that crores of rupees were wasted on advertisements while school infrastructure projects remained incomplete.
"AAP's focus on advertising their curriculum initiatives, such as the 'Happiness Curriculum,' 'Entrepreneurship Mindset Curriculum,' and 'Deshbhakti Curriculum,' took precedence over actual work. Over Rs. 120 crore was spent on publicity, leaving schools in a state of disrepair," Sood claimed.
Meanwhile, AAP's Delhi chief, Saurabh Bhardwaj, hit back, accusing the BJP government of filing frivolous cases against AAP workers while ignoring documented evidence of harassment at Delhi Public School (DPS) over unpaid fees.
"The BJP government and Minister Sood are threatening AAP volunteers with FIRs, yet they refuse to take action against DPS despite the District Magistrate's recommendation. AAP stands firm and unafraid of these tactics," Bhardwaj stated on X.
The debate rages on, with both sides firmly entrenched in their positions. Who do you think is right in this school safety controversy? Share your thoughts in the comments!
