NEW DELHI — Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has thrown down an open challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), proposing a public comparison and joint inspection of 1,000 government schools each in Punjab and Gujarat. In a video message released on Tuesday, the former Delhi chief minister also accused the BJP of circulating doctored and artificial intelligence-generated videos to discredit the public education system in Punjab.
Kejriwal contrasted the governance track records of both political parties, pointing out that the BJP has held power in Gujarat for three decades, while the AAP has governed Punjab for four and a half years. He proposed that both sides exchange lists containing 1,000 schools from their respective states and conduct a transparent, on-site review alongside media representatives to evaluate facilities and educational standards.
The AAP leader criticized BJP-led administrations for attacking Punjab’s achievements rather than enhancing school infrastructure within their own states. According to Kejriwal, out of roughly 19,700 state-run schools across Punjab, comprehensive upgrades have already been completed across 19,200 institutions. He noted that modernizing the remaining 500 schools is actively underway and expected to conclude within the next one and a half to two years.
Highlighting the state’s educational progress, Kejriwal emphasized that Punjab climbed from the 28th rank in national education assessments when AAP assumed office in 2022 to a leading spot. He credited this turnaround to the collective efforts of teachers, school principals, parents, students, and local communities across the state.
