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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Special Correspondent

Akali Dal, Congress take jibe at Mann’s Delhi visit

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Congress took a jibe at Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on his visits to Delhi schools and hospitals to understand the ‘Delhi model’.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Minister Daljit Singh Cheema said that Delhi was following the meritorious school model of Punjab with a few modifications. It was after only reaching Delhi that the Punjab Chief Minister was apprised by his own party members that the Punjab model of school education was being emulated in Delhi.

Mr. Cheema said SAD had some time ago advised Mr. Mann to visit the ‘Meritorious’ and ‘Adarsh’ schools established by the previous SAD-led government so that the neglect they had suffered during the last five years of Congress-rule could be corrected.

“Instead of doing this and building on the platform created by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that had taken Punjab to the number two slot in the national survey on school education, Mr. Mann decided to blindly follow other models. It is good that he has finally been told by his own party government that the Punjab model of school education is the best and is being emulated in Delhi. Now, Mr. Mann should quickly return to Punjab and see the model first-hand by visiting Meritorious and Adarsh schools and fix the problems being faced by them, including that of non-release of funds and provision of adequate staff,” he said.

Mr. Cheema asked Mr. Mann to also take his officers to the Meritorious and Adarsh schools to understand the philosophy behind their establishment.

Hitting out at the Aam Aadmi Party government, Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu in a tweet, said “CM @BhagwantMann’s 2 day Delhi visit is a deviation from real issues, mere photo op for benefit in other elections & waste of state exchequer. Pb [Punjba] needs policy to get out of financial, farmers and power crisis. Local problems need local solution. Solution lies in Income generation.”

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