CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Chief Ministerial Candidate and Member of Parliament Bhagwant Mann termed the announcements, made by Shiromani Akali Dal Badal President Sukhbir Singh Badal regarding reservation in jobs for government schools’ students and revitalizing government schools, as deception and full of lies.
Mann said that it is not hidden from anyone that it was Badal government that promoted the privatization of education by destroying government schools and government education system in the state.
In a statement issued from the party headquarters on Monday, Bhagwant Mann said that Sukhbir Badal can see the future of Shiromani Akali Dal and their candidates in upcoming election and it is clear that it’s not a pretty picture. That’s is why Sukbir Badal is saying that with the formation of Shiromani Akali Dal government 33% reservation in government jobs would be given to the youth studying in government schools and Rs. 12000 crore would be spent for the rejuvenation of government schools.
Reacting to the promises, made by Sukhbir Badal, Bhagwant Mann said, “Shiromani Akali Dal has been in power for 10 years under the leadership of Sukhbir Singh Badal's father, then neither Sukhbir Badal implemented EWS quota in private schools nor did he transform government schools, colleges and universities. He said that during the Badal government neither school teachers nor other staffs including professors of colleges and universities ware recruited. On the top of that, Badal government did not provide any financial assistance to Punjabi University Patiala, Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar and Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana.
Mann said that Badal government does not give jobs or employment and we know this for a fact from their last tenures so 33% is pointless. It will matter only if you are actually planning to employ the youth. Talking a jibe at contradiction of this promise to the one with 10 lakh loan for abroad study, Mann said "On the one hand Sukhbir Singh Badal is promising to send the youth of Punjab abroad by giving Rs. 10 lakh loan and on the other hand he’s trying to mislead the youngsters with the lollipop of 33% reservation.” He said that during the previous government the Badals had also announced to give additional 5 marks in recruitment to the youth from rural schools but this decision has not been implemented till date. Now what is the guarantee that Sukhbir Badal's decision to give 33% reservation in government jobs to government school students will be implemented?
Bhagwant Mann alleged that the governments of Shiromani Akali Dal Badal, Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress party had used the rural and poor sections of the people as a vote bank, but when it came to the rights of these sections, these leaders looked the other way. He said that the Union government had decided to enrol 20% of the economically weaker sections (EWS) students in private schools, a decision which was neither implemented by Sukhbir Singh Badal during his tenure nor by the Congress government.
Mann said that the governments of Akali Dal Badal and Congress party had done nothing but sell the valuable lands of government universities. Similarly, they decided to hand over Panjab University Chandigarh to the Centre. But due to the challenge of the vigilant people of Punjab the Badals and the Congress had to change their strategies but even now the people of Punjab will see right through the false pretenses of the Congress, SAD and BJP. He said that AAP's Kejriwal government had launched a nationwide education revolution campaign by improving the condition of government schools in Delhi, the next step of which would be to bring reform the government schools of Punjab.