‘Dear’ for deer, ‘vegitables’ for vegetables: Punjab school photo sparks political row

The words “deer” and “vegetables” were spelt “dear” and “vegitables”, respectively, in the poster displayed in the government school classroom.

Bains had shared photographs of the classroom while highlighting the AAP government’s “Sikhya Kranti” and claiming that Punjab had emerged as the country’s top-performing state in school education, ahead of Kerala, according to a NITI Aayog report.

Thank you for your concern, Amit ji, Badal Sab, and others.

First your IT cell dug up old videos and old news, because you all hate Punjab — you’re all anti-Punjab. Now you’ve zoomed in on a classroom poster. I’m glad Punjab’s schools have your undivided attention.

Since you’re… https://t.co/O2DHkkzDf3

— Harjot Singh Bains (@harjotbains) August 24, 2026

On Tuesday, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal threw an “open challenge” to the BJP to compare 1,000 schools in Punjab and Gujarat.

Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP is using “doctored, AI videos” to defame Punjab schools.

“I challenge the BJP. You have been in power in Gujarat for 30 years, and we have been in power in Punjab for 4.5 years. I will give you a list of 1,000 schools in Punjab, and you give us a list of 1,000 schools in Gujarat. Let us inspect these schools together and see which ones are better,” Kejriwal said in a video message.

‘Focus less on photo-ops, propaganda’

While the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized on the errors to attack the government, Bains hit back, saying the Opposition was focusing on a classroom poster while ignoring the state’s broader education reforms.

“If this is what is being taught in Govt schools in Punjab, no wonder over 6 lakh students have dropped out from govt schools since 2022. Punjab’s education minister @harjotbains is showing clear signs of brain fog,” the SAD posted.

“Maybe he should try eating the right ‘Vegitables’! ‘Deer’ Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal, now that the “Sikhya Scam” of AAP Punjab has been completely exposed, kindly share your valuable inputs. Your puppets here are struggling and making one PR faux pas after another!”

BJP leader Amit Malviya advised the Aam Aadmi Party government to “focus less on photo-ops and propaganda”.

“Such commitment to education ! Punjab’s education minister has posted a photo of a school where the board itself exposes the state of education. “Dear” instead of “deer”. “Vegitables” instead of “vegetables”. When even the basic English spelling is wrong on a school board, perhaps the AAP government should focus less on photo-ops and propaganda and more on the quality of education in Punjab,” Amit Malviya wrote on X.

‘You’re all anti-Punjab’

Bains replied to the Opposition by thanking “Amit ji, Badal saab [SAD’s Sukhbir Singh Badal] and others” for their concerns.

“First your IT cell dug up old videos and old news, because you all hate Punjab — you’re all anti-Punjab. Now you’ve zoomed in on a classroom poster. I’m glad Punjab’s schools have your undivided attention,” he said in an X post.

“Since you’re counting spelling errors– here’s some real data: Punjab’s is now No.1 in the NITI Aayog School Education Quality Index 2026, up from 27th, ahead of Kerala. 19000+ government schools upgraded, thousands of new classrooms built, students who once sat on the floor given desks. But you will not utter a word on that, because you only want “Udta Punjab”, not “Parda Punjab.”

“I’m loving it though– your hatred for Punjab is my motivation. Keep zooming in on posters. We’ll keep fixing schools– buildings, boards, spellings and results, all of it. Education is not a photo-op for us, it’s a mission and my passion,” wrote Bains.