E-Paper
‘Kick us out if...’ AAP chief Kejriwal vows to revamp Gujarat schools
The Delhi chief minister also announced that his party will contest the upcoming Gujarat assembly elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP).
Ahmedabad: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced that his party will contest the Gujarat assembly elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) even as he targeted the state government over the “dismal” condition of schools.
Hitting out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kejriwal claimed that 6,000 schools have been shut by the Gujarat government in the name of mergers. The remaining schools, he alleged, were in such poor conditions that they were not fit for students to sit and study in. He invited Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel to visit schools and hospitals in Delhi and “not criticise them baselessly”.
“This time the government of AAP and BTP will be formed,” Kejriwal said, addressing an Adivasi Sankalp Sammelan in Bharuch’s Chandeliya.
This is the first alliance by the AAP in Gujarat ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for later this year. Tribal leader Chhotu Vasava-led BTP has two MLAs each in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
“This is our first official public rally after victory in the Punjab assembly elections. We are well aware of the exploitation and injustice faced by the adivasi community in Gujarat – first at the hands of the British, then tortured by our own people,” the AAP chief said. “It is highly ironic that while the two richest men of our country hail from Gujarat, the most impoverished tribals also belong to this state.”
Places in Gujarat like Dahod, Chhotaudepur, Aravalli, Dangs are all homes to the poorest of families, said Kejriwal.
While the ruling BJP and opposition Congress stand with the rich, he stands with Chhotu Vasava, his son Mahesh Vasava, who is also national president of BTP, and the poor people of Gujarat, he added.
“We’ve come to power in Delhi and Punjab, now Gujarat is next. I heard that Gujarat elections will be held soon...be it now or six months later, AAP is confident of coming to power,” said Kejriwal.
The AAP leader also promised free electricity, corruption-free government services, doorstep delivery of public services and employment generation for people of Gujarat, if voted to power.
Gujarat BJP president CR Paatil on Sunday hit out at Kejriwal, calling him a “threat to national security” for giving “Khalistan-minded people” responsibility in the AAP. “Giving Khalistan-minded people responsibility in their party and demanding Khalistan as a constitutional right, Arvind Kejriwal is a threat to the security of this country,” he tweeted.
“We have seen the condition of schools in Delhi. There are numerous videos that show their schools lying in dilapidated conditions. Even schools in the Delhi CM’s constituency are in bad shape. The party cannot manage and run schools properly in a small place like Delhi but want to comment on a state which has over 40,000 schools,” said Yamal Vyas, spokesperson for BJP in Gujarat.
