Controversy over AAP MLA’s statement that Kerala officials visited Delhi school
Kerala Education Minister K. Shivankutty on Sunday denied the Aam Aadmi Party’s claim that officials from his state had visited a Delhi school to learn about the party’s (AAP) education model.
Aam Aadmi Party MLA Atishi had said on Saturday (April 23) that she had hosted officials from Kerala at a school in Kalkaji area.
It was wonderful to host officials from Kerala at one of our schools in Kalkaji. They were keen to understand and implement our education model in their state.
This is @ArvindKejriwal Govt’s idea of nation building. Development through collaboration pic.twitter.com/FosI9KTKDW— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) April 23, 2022
Atishi tweeted, “Wonderful to welcome the officials of Kerala to one of our schools in Kalkaji. They were keen to understand how to implement our education model in their state. This is the idea of nation building of Arvind Kejriwal government. Development through collaboration.
Let us inform that Atishi is an MLA from Delhi’s Kalkaji assembly constituency.
Kerala’s Dept of Education has not sent anyone to learn about the ‘Delhi Model’. At the same time, all assistance was provided to officials who had visited from Delhi to study the ‘Kerala Model’ last month. We would like to know which ‘officials’ were welcomed by the AAP MLA. https://t.co/Lgh6nM7yL9
— V. Sivankutty (@VSivankuttyCPIM) April 24, 2022
On this, Kerala Education Minister Shivankutty said, ‘The Education Department of Kerala did not send anyone to understand the Delhi model, but last month, we had given all possible help to the officials from Delhi to understand the Kerala model. We would like to know which officers were welcomed by the AAP MLA.
In response, Atishi cited a Delhi government press release, which said that the people who visited the Delhi school were renowned educationists and dignitaries Victor TI and M. Dinesh Babu.
Let us inform that Victor TI is the regional secretary of the School Management Association of the Central Board of Secondary Education, while Dinesh Babu is the treasurer of the Kerala Sahodaya Complex.
Atishi also offered no explanation for her claim that Victor and Babu were keen to understand and implement the Delhi model of education in their state.
AAP MLA Atishi said, “Dear Shivankutty ji, it would have been better if you had checked the facts before tweeting on this matter. You should see our press release to know what we said.
Dear Sivankutty ji, It would have been good if you had done a fact check before tweeting on this issue. You might want to have a look at our press release to see what we actually said! https://t.co/TAUo1zcX8N pic.twitter.com/ymV8zHJzsZ
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) April 24, 2022
In response, Shivankutty said that he had questioned Atishi’s claim that the two persons who visited the Delhi school were officials from Kerala.
He also referred to a Facebook post by the Kerala unit of the Aam Aadmi Party, which expressed regret over the claim. The Education Minister of Kerala said that many other unions cannot take decisions in matters related to education in the state. “Kerala has set a remarkable model in the field of public education. I firmly believe that in this matter we do not need dispute but brotherhood.
Reacting to the matter, BJP’s Delhi unit spokesperson Harish Khurana called Atishi a factory of lies. He said that like his tweet, the Kejriwal model has also been built on lies. He said, ‘How long will Kejriwal cheat the country with this kind of fraud. Kerala Education Minister has ‘exposed’ the ‘Delhi model’, refuting Atishi’s claim.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor demanded Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to clarify whether any official delegation from Kerala had visited a Delhi government school on Saturday or action should be taken against Atishi for her false claim. .
Kapoor said, ‘It is amazing, how can Atishi make such false claims that violate protocol for political gimmicks.’
