Arvind Kejriwal’s March in a row with the Center Over Teachers’ Finland trip
New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs today marched to Lt Governor VK Saxena’s home in protest against what they called Mr Saxena’s interference in Delhi government decisions. AAP accuses the lieutenant governor of blocking a plan to send Delhi school teachers to Finland for training. However, the lieutenant governor’s office has denied rejecting the plan and has said he only advised the state to record the cost-benefit analysis.
“It’s a government elected by the people of Delhi. It’s Delhi taxpayers’ money. For Delhi’s education. What’s the problem with LG?” Arvind Kejriwal asked. He and other AAP MLAs carried placards that read, “Mr LG, please allow teachers to go to Finland”.
Just as the AAP march approached his home, the lieutenant governor denied scrapping the Delhi government’s plan and said, “All allegations to the contrary are deliberately misleading and mischievously motivated. The government has been advised to assess the proposal in its entirety and record a cost-benefit analysis of the impact on the quality of education provided to students in order to assess the effectiveness of various previously implemented teacher training programs.”
Saxena’s office said he has also advised to study and identify similar training programs in the country, “to ensure optimal use of resources, fiscal policy and administrative efficiency”.
The march was stopped before it could reach LG’s apartment. Mr. Kejriwal said the Lt. Governor invited him and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for a meeting but it was not acceptable as all the MLAs wanted to meet him.
According to Arvind Kejriwal, the Lt. Governor refused to meet all the MLAs and ministers.
“It is an insult to two crore people that he refused to meet our MLAs and ministers. We will decide on the next strategy,” Mr Kejriwal said as the march turned back and left.
Arvind Kejriwal later said in a tweet that if he never rejected Finland’s education proposal, he would immediately write him a letter saying no objection.
“Honorable LG said that he never rejected the proposal for teachers’ education in Finland.
If so, can the honorable LG kindly write me a letter immediately saying that he has no objection to the teacher training proposal in Finland and the matter is over?” he tweeted.
Kunnia LG said that he never rejected the teachers’ proposal for Finland’s education.
If this is the case, can the honorable LG kindly write me a letter immediately, saying that he has no objection to the teacher training proposal in Finland and the matter is over?
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 16, 2023
“It is unfortunate that the Delhi Chief Minister and AAP MLAs have to march to the LG’s office. I hope the LG will see their mistake and allow teachers to be trained in Finland,” Kejriwal told reporters at the march.
Citing a 2018 Supreme Court order, he also claimed that Delhi’s lieutenant governor cannot take independent decisions.
In the meeting earlier today, AAP legislator Saurabh Bhardwaj had initiated a discussion on drawing attention to the issue of ‘Illegal and unwanted obstacles and disturbances related to children’s education and teacher training’.
The meeting echoed the slogans “give the teachers to Finland”, “allow teacher training” and “poor children to study”.
The ruling AAP and opposition BJP MLAs were forced to adjourn, after which Arvind Kejriwal lashed out at Mr Saxena, saying he has no authority to interfere in his government.
The meeting took frequent breaks on the first day of its three-day session, barely managing to last 10 minutes.
The Delhi government’s work is being deliberately obstructed for political reasons, Mr Kejriwal alleged, adding that “the LG is not our headmaster to check our homework. He has to say yes or no to our proposals”.