Gupta termed the move ‘dictatorial’
Newly elected BJP MLA Vijender Gupta wrote a letter to L-G Anil Baijal Saturday, requesting him to withdraw a circular that has made it “compulsory” for government school teachers to attend Sunday’s ceremony where Arvind Kejriwal will take oath as Delhi chief minister.
Gupta, leader of Opposition in the previous Assembly, said the circular is “dictatorial” and has shattered his belief that Kejriwal’s focus after coming back to power would be on governance and strengthening democratic ethos.
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Slamming Gupta’s objection, the vice-chairman of Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission, Jasmine Shah, said teachers and principals were “architects” of Delhi’s transformation in the past five years and they “deserved to be invited” for the swearing-in ceremony. “When did BJP last think of teachers at the centre of your ‘vikas’ (development) model? Never did, never will,” Shah tweeted.
“By virtue of the order, 15,000 teachers and officials will have to attend the oath ceremony,” Gupta wrote in his letter.
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The Directorate of Education issued a corrigendum later, in which it said that the communication was invitational in nature and no attendance would be taken.
The AAP returned to power after winning 62 of 70 seats in the Delhi assembly election. Kejriwal and his cabinet members will take oath in a grand ceremony at Ramlila Maidan Sunday. Gupta, who has been re-elected from Rohini constituency, said he would attend the event. Other MLAs are also likely to join.
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