Delhi AAP Govt Wants To Send School Teachers To Finland For Training, LG Wants 'Cost Benefit Analysis'

A confrontation has broken out between Delhi Lieutenant Governor and the Aam Aadmi Party government over the latter's proposal to send primary school teachers to Finland for training.

The LG had requested the government to do a cost benefit analysis of the program. AAP members, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, staged a protest against this inside the legislative assembly holding placards that read 'LG, allow teachers to go to Finland.'

AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj, while raising the issue in the House, said that Delhi LG has asked to do a cost-benefit analysis of the teachers’ training programme.

Drawing a flawed comparison, he asked if a similar cost-benefit analysis of the Delhi LG’s office in the capital must be done.

Objecting to AAP MLA’s assertion, the Leader of Opposition, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, said that the Delhi LG has clarified that he never rejected the Delhi government’s proposal. The Speaker of the House, Ram Niwas Goel, accused Bidhuri of trying to be the LG's spokesperson.

The LG office clarified the issue stating that the LG has not rejected the proposal for the training program for primary-in-charges in Finland. It added that any statement to the contrary is misleading and mischievously motivated.

“The Government has been advised to evaluate the proposal in totality and record the cost-benefit analysis in tangible terms, so as to assess the effectiveness of various foreign training programmes for teachers undertaken in the past,” it said. Delhi LG advised the government to identify similar training programmes in Indian institutions.

After the House getting adjourned, AAP MLAs led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia marched to the LG’s office. Delhi CM demanded meeting the LG. Speaking to the media, he said “It's unfortunate that the Delhi chief minister and AAP MLAs have to march to the LG office. I hope the LG will see his mistake and allow teachers training in Finland.”

Meanwhile, the BJP MLAs, too, were prepared to take on the Delhi government over the issue of rising pollution in the capital. They entered the House carrying oxygen cylinders to protest against the AAP government’s inaction to curb air pollution.

However, the Speaker refused to accept opposition's notice. He reasoned that he would not accept the notice since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has clipped the wings of the Delhi Assembly.

Questioning the absurdity of the AAP government's protest, BJP's National Vice President and party in-charge in Delhi, Baijayant Jay Panda tweeted, "For a city which is perennially struggling with severe pollution, pot-holed roads, poor health infrastructure and rampant corruption in public service delivery, it’s intriguing to see Delhi CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal's obsession with sending teachers to Finland."

(with inputs from PTI)