Journalism of Courage
Launching a scathing attack at the Delhi government, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan described the state’s education system “hollow” and “a gimmick”.
Attacking the AAP dispensation over the excise policy, Pradhan said his “friends” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia are trying to cover up their “theft” by highlighting the the New York Times story on Delhi’s education system.
“Delhi’s education system is khokhla (hollow) and a nautanki (gimmick). According to the National Achievement Survey, the performance of class 10 and 12 students of Delhi government schools has been constantly declining,” Pradhan said in his address at Business Today’s “India@100 conclave” on Friday.
“They are just trying to cover up for their theft using the excise policy by showing the New York Times article while in reality the situation is different,” he added.
The New York Times report published last week had triggered a war of words between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after the CBI raided the residence of Sisodia, who also holds the education and excise portfolios, in connection with alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the government’s excise policy.
The New York Times story was based on “an impartial and on-the-ground reporting”, the American newspaper had said while rejecting the paid news charge.
