"All They Got Is Some School Papers": AAP's Manish Sisodia On CBI Raids

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia today alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government wants to shut down Delhi government schools.

Addressing a press conference earlier today, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader slammed the BJP, alleging that the centre has a "problem" because Delhi government schools are "flourishing".

"The BJP have started a new issue. It has been 10 days but nothing has come out of the CBI raids. All they have is some school papers. These are all lies. Delhi government schools are much better than private schools," said Mr Sisodia, who is also Delhi's education minister.

"Their aim is to close down schools. They have a problem that education in Delhi is flourishing," he added.

Mr Sisodia alleged that the centre is intentionally closing down government schools in Delhi to open more private schools.

"I will present the relevant data to you. Since 2014, the BJP has consistently closed down government schools in order to open more private schools," he said. "This is the BJP's new nautanki. The Centre is on a mission to close down government schools in the country."

"Between 2015-2021, over 72,000 schools were shut. Over 51,000 were shut in 2018-19 itself. Private schools are thriving in areas where they're (BJP) shutting government schools. Those private schools have been built by their own MLAs. Almost 12,000 private schools," Mr Sisodia said.

On August 20, the CBI raided Mr Sisodia's residence in connection with alleged corruption in the implementation of the new excise policy. Mr Sisodia termed the FIR against him as "completely fake".

"The FIR against me is completely fake. I have committed no corruption...They (BJP) are acting like serial killer to eliminate other state governments. The effort they are putting to murder state governments, they should have put that much effort into building schools and hospitals," Mr Sisodia said as quoted by news agency PTI.

Earlier today, hundreds of AAP supporters took to the streets near BJP's headquarters in the national capital to protest against the CBI raids at Mr Sisodia's residence.