"I request you to not step back," Manish Sisodia said. (File)
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said he has accepted the challenge bof several ministers in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet, including basic education minister Satish Dwivedi, who dared the Delhi minister to visit Uttar Pradesh and debate on the education and school facilities in the two states.
This comes after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced to contest the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in 2022, wherein Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal compared the work done by the Delhi and Uttar Pradesh governments in the field of education.
"I will reach Lucknow on December 22, let us debate on government school education system of Delhi versus that of Uttar Pradesh. You have challenged us yesterday, so I am ready. Tell me who will be there on the debate. I request you to not step back," Mr Sisodia, who is also the Delhi education minister said, addressing a press conference.
Mr Sisodia mentioned several news reports citing that schools in Uttar Pradesh were in bad shape. He emphasised that the improvement of schools can be done by allocating a good budget, developing infrastructure, quality training of teachers and providing principals with enhanced facilities.
"Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanathji had enjoyed a lot in the past four years and has only one more year in hand. I request either you improve the schools in the state or people will change the politics of Uttar Pradesh a year after. Then, the Aam Admi Party will form the government and improve the schools in the state," he said.
Mr Kejriwal announced on Tuesday that the AAP would contest the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2022. He also compared the work done in the field of school education in Delhi with that in Uttar Pradesh.
Following this, Uttar Pradesh Primary Education Minister Satish Chandra Dwivedi invited Mr Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia to visit the schools of Uttar Pradesh saying that "it will open their eyes."
"In Delhi, there are 1,024 government schools for Class 1-12. In Uttar Pradesh, there are at least 2,000 schools for Class 1-8 even in the smallest district. I can only feel pity for the intellect of whoever is comparing the state of 1,024 schools with a state of 1.59 lakh schools," Mr Diwedi had said.