Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him whether it was “patriotic” to remove his advisor ~ Atishi Marlena ~ whose inputs had gone a long way in changing the face of government schools in Delhi.
In a letter, Sisodia, who also holds Education portfolio, asked Modi what message he wanted to send to the country by dismissing such a “dedicated, educated and talented woman” who was working for the education of children in Delhi.
“In our country the education minister or education secretary or education director doesn’t have to be an education expert. My opinion is that this is the major reason for the bad state of education in our country. And that is why we made Atishi, who is well-educated and experienced, as the advisor,” Sisodia remarked in his letter.
Sisodia said the presence of Atishi made a big difference in the education system of government schools in Delhi and the results were in front of all. “Even our opponents agree that there has been good work done by Delhi government schools,” he claimed.
In an apparent flare up of confrontation between the Central and state governments, the appointment of nine advisers and consultants to several AAP Ministers were dismissed on Tuesday at Centre’s behest. Atishi Marlena who was working as an adviser to the Deputy Chief Minister also appeared in that list.
Sisodia said he was not surprised, by the suddenness with which Atishi was removed as his advisor.
“What do you want to achieve by this? You may have political enmity with us, but not with children of Delhi. Due to political enmity removing people who are working for the betterment of their education is what kind of patriotism,” Sisodia asked PM in a letter.
“I know that you would not leave any tactics to defeat your enemy. You can use this power to stop any good work happening in the country,” he said.
Sisodia also invited Prime Minister to visit government schools in Delhi and see the difference by himself.
“I invite you to visit Delhi schools with an open mind and make schools like this all over the country,” Sisodia said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said, “that by destroying the opponent by unfair means you (PM) don’t become big.”
“You have snatched the future of Delhi’s children. If you can’t give us anything, at least don’t stop what good is happening,” Sisodia said.