E-Paper
Dump Delhi model based on fake publicity: Sukhbir to CM
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said third consecutive survey on education had ranked Punjab schools better than those in Delhi
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday asked Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to dump the AAP government’s Delhi model based on fake publicity and run the education and health sectors as per needs of people of Punjab.
He said the Delhi model of school education was a complete failure like everything else in the capital, which was bolstered by propaganda and paid news.
Talking to newsmen here after attending a number of public functions and visiting the residences of senior Akalis, the SAD chief said it was ironic that CM Mann continued to swear by the Delhi model even though the quality of school education in Punjab was ranked better than the capital’s in subsequent national surveys.
He said the latest report by Foundation Learning Study, 2022, had revealed that Class-3 students of Punjab schools had a higher percentage of basic knowledge and skills when compared to their Delhi counterparts. “The chief minister should stop championing the Delhi school education system immediately,” he added.
Asserting that the Delhi model was costing the state dearly, Sukhbir said, “The Punjab finance minister has recently disclosed that the state revenue had registered a 47% increase in excise and 24% increase in GST collections during the last five months, but the government had been unable to pay its monthly salary in time.”
“All this is happening because the AAP high command is behaving like the East India Company. The revenue of Punjab is being looted to fund elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Nearly ₹100 crore has been spent on advertisements and paid news across the country, particularly in poll-bound states. As much as ₹700 crore has been earmarked for publicity in the state budget for the current financial year. This is why development is not taking place and funds are not available to even pay salaries,” he added.
Answering a question about the chief minister’s mother and wife assuming constitutional roles, he said, “This is wrong. Constitutional positions should be respected and nobody can usurp them. If this continues to happen, there will be a complete chaos in the state”.
Senior leaders, including Iqbal Singh Jhundan, Baldev Singh Mann, Gobind Singh Longowal and Gulzar Singh Moonak, were also present.
