NEW DELHI: Ahead of next year’s Assembly election in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party is sharpening its attack on both Congress and the BJP, which are in power in the state and the Centre respectively. Senior AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday alleged the BJP-led Centre has a “secret” friendship with Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.
The immediate trigger for the broadside was a report released by the central government crediting the Punjab government for hosting the “best government schools” in the nation. “This report is just another arrow that points in the direction of the solid friendship between Modi and Captain Amarinder Singh, in view of the upcoming Punjab elections in 2022.
Crediting Punjab government with the best government schools in the country when the state has seen closure of more than 800 schools and functioning of alcohol factories in the premises of some schools, is a farce,” said Sisodia. He further alleged that Punjab’s government schools have poor educational facilities for students and parents prefer to send their children to private schools.
The index is an effort to hide the incompetence of the Punjab government in the field of school education,
he alleged. “Maybe later, the government might release a report saying Punjab’s hospitals are best. There is a secret friendship between Modiji and Captain,” Sisodia said.
“This report is just another way to show the blessings Modi has showered on Amarinder Singh, extending a hand of friendship similar to the previous election. Strangely enough, this report has been released at a time when people have been raising questions regarding the performance and inadequacies of Punjab government in education sector,” added Deputy Chief Minister.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which is the principal opposition in Punjab, aims to ouster the Congress government in the Assembly polls. Earlier, Kejriwal and Singh had also indulged in a war of words over the contentious farm laws.