There is a scam of Rs 2,000 crore in construction of classrooms, alleges Delhi BJP, AAP hits back

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari Monday claimed that there is a "scam" of Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of classrooms for Delhi government schools, an allegation rejected by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who dared Tiwari to arrest him if such irregularities exist. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is incharge of the education department also lashed out at Tiwari saying the BJP Delhi chief should get him arrested if he was guilty or apologise for "lying" to the poor people whose children are getting an education in good quality schools of the Delhi government.

At a press conference, the Delhi BJP chief citing an RTI reply claimed that Delhi government with an expenditure of Rs 2,892 crore has undertaken the construction of 12,782 classrooms which could have been done with maximum spending of around Rs 800 crore. The Delhi government is constructing classrooms of 300 square feet size with the cost of Rs 24.86 lakh, he said citing the RTI reply received by Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana.

"Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia talks about the construction of new school rooms. There is a scam of Rs 2,000 crore in it," Tiwari told reporters. He said the Delhi government was "misusing" taxpayers money and asked Sisodia to step down. He also said that his party will complain to Delhi Lokayukta regarding the scam.

Kejriwal hit back at Tiwari, saying the BJP was trying to hamper good education being provided to poor people in Delhi by his government. "The BJP's CBI checked all our files but found nothing. If there is a scam then arrest us immediately, all the agencies are with you. Why do you want to obstruct good education to the poor," the AAP chief tweeted.

In another tweet, he said "For the first time poor children are studying in such good schools (of Delhi government) which were earlier available to rich people only. "Now children of auto drivers, housemaids and labourers are becoming doctors, engineers and lawyers. BJP does not want this so it has deliberately kept the schools in poor quality in the states ruled by it."

Sisodia also posted a video presentation on infrastructure at Delhi government schools and challenged Tiwari to name 10 such schools in BJP ruled states which could match them. He said the expenditure on construction of classrooms cannot be calculated as Tiwari has done.

"He knows no maths or anything about education," Sisodia said. In reply to Sisodia's attack on him, Tiwari said rather than avoiding the question, the Deputy Chief Minister should give a specific reply to his claims based on RTI reply.