New Delhi [India], January 3 : Aam Aadmi Party Delhi chief Saurabh Bhardwaj on Friday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, which was "exposed for orders that effectively put Delhi government school teachers in charge of monitoring stray dogs", has now begun filing FIRs against his party workers.
In a press release, AAP noted that while its workers are being targeted with frivolous cases, no FIR has been registered against DPS school, despite documented evidence of student harassment over unpaid fees and a clear recommendation from the District Magistrate.
Taking to X, Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "The BJP Government and Education Minister Ashish Sood could not dare to get FIR registered against DPS school in spite of the recommendation of DM (District Magistrate) and all the proofs. He (the Minister) is threatening AAP volunteers with an FIR. AAP is not scared of these frivolous cases."
He further said, "Why was no one from the DPS school administration arrested? Are you scared of them? Are you hand-in-glove with them? In spite of harassment of young students, you did not get an FIR registered. Listen to this video, parents are exposing you."
In another post, tagging Education Minister Ashish Sood, Bharadwaj said, "Mr Ashish Sood, tell me the name of one school which rolled back the increased fee? Almost all private schools hiked their fee after you (BJP) came to power."
While addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader Sanjeev Jha said, "On Thursday, the Director of Education held a press conference and stated that no order of any kind had been issued regarding stray dogs, and even claimed that a police complaint had been filed against those spreading false information."
"On Friday, Education Minister Ashish Sood also held a press conference and said that a police complaint had been filed and an FIR would be registered. AAP had earlier shown the circulars issued by the Education Department. The Education Minister or the Director of Education must clearly explain who issued these circulars," he added.
Referring to documentary evidence, Jha said, "We are showing two circulars issued by the Delhi government's Education Department. One circular, issued on 20 November by the Care Taking Branch of the Directorate of Education, states that nodal officers will be appointed in every school for the management of stray dogs. The second circular, issued on 5 December, orders all educational institutions, schools, and stadiums to submit details of their nodal officers, describes it as 'most urgent,' and directs that information related to stray dogs be provided at the earliest."
Displaying another order, he added, "We are also showing a third order issued by the Deputy Director of Education of the North West District, which contains a complete list of teachers appointed as nodal officers in different schools. For example, in Mukherjee Nagar, New Police Line, a TGT teacher has been appointed as the nodal officer. Similarly, the list includes the names of several PGT and TGTs. If these orders are not from the Education Department, then who issued the 5 December circular and what action will be taken? Were these orders issued without the knowledge and instructions of the Director of Education or the Education Minister?"
Pointing to the continued existence of the orders, the AAP MLA said the circulars remain in force.
"If teachers have been appointed as nodal officers to monitor stray dogs, then these circulars must be withdrawn. Mere statements will not suffice. Attempts should not be made to intimidate people by playing the FIR game. In a democracy, Babasaheb Dr B R Ambedkar's Constitution gives us the right to raise our voice if any wrong order affects education, schools, or teachers, and AAP is not afraid of FIRs," Jha said.
Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar said, "It is possible that the Education Minister is unaware of these circulars because his attention is not on the Education Department, which is why circulars are being issued without his knowledge. But the BJP-led MCD has also issued a circular assigning duties to 97 teachers. It appears the Education Minister is extremely rattled. They thought they could issue any circular and no one would notice. But AAP is the main opposition in Delhi, and we will question the BJP government on every issue connected to the public."
Issuing a warning, Kumar continued, "If the BJP changes the name of schools associated with Dr B R Ambedkar, AAP will raise its voice and Delhi Police will file FIRs. If pollution rises and people protest, they will be sent to jail. If the BJP builds a fake Yamuna and we expose it, FIRs will be filed. Let them file cases, we are not afraid. We are ready to go to jail for teachers, but we will not allow Delhi's education system to be destroyed."