Allegations levelled by a BJP MLA,that the Delhi Education department was putting pressure on teachers to allow unfair means to students during exams for better pass percentages at governments schools,prompted fierce verbal duels between the ruling and Opposition benches on the third day of the Delhi Assembly session. The issue snowballed into a major argument between BJP and Congress MLAs and led to four adjournments of the House. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit called the allegations most unfair and said such a sweeping statement on the education system of Delhi was totally unacceptable. Congress MLAs insisted that the Opposition apologise for the statement. The Opposition was most unfair in charging that teachers are deliberately encouraging students to cheat and that the Education Directorate was misusing the teachers. I think these comments are against the people of the city, Dikshit said outside the House. The issue was first raised by BJP MLA Shyam Lal Garg during the Question Hour,and was supported by senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi and several other party MLAs. Several Congress MLAs immediately rose to their feet to protest,accusing Garg of insulting the teaching community of the city. Speaker Yoganand Shastri then asked Delhi Education minister Arvinder Singh Lovely to conduct an inquiry into the allegations. Lovely,however,told the Speaker that without material evidence it would not be possible to conduct such a probe. Unhappy over Lovelys comment,the BJP MLAs continued their protest. When repeated pleas from the Speaker asking the MLAs to calm down did not work,he adjourned the House for 25 minutes. When the House met again,the verbal volley continued. Dikshit objected to BJPs allegations that the government uses the teachers to improve pass percentage. Following her comments,the House again plunged into chaos. The Speaker had to adjourn the House again for 20 minutes.
