Despite being fully constructed under the Arvind Kejriwal government, the grand school built in Sunder Nagri, Seemapuri, is still lying shut—thanks to the BJP government’s inaction. On Wednesday, the patience of local residents finally gave way. Led by AAP MLA from Seemapuri, Veer Singh Dhingan, a powerful demonstration erupted against the BJP government’s negligence.
Councillors Ramesh Kumar and Mohini Jeenwal joined the local MLA on the ground, alongside a large gathering of AAP karyakartas and residents, who raised slogans demanding the immediate opening of the school and the start of the admission process.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has said that the BJP government in Delhi is anti-education. “This remarkable school was built by the Arvind Kejriwal government, and last year, the then Chief Minister Atishi inaugurated the school building. It’s been over three months since the BJP came to power in Delhi, yet the school has not been made operational, depriving thousands of local children of their right to education,” the party stated. “Arvind Kejriwal had dismantled the education mafia and made Delhi’s education system world-class, but the BJP government is now working to destroy it.”
During the protest, AAP MLA from Seemapuri, Veer Singh Dhingan, said, “This is the first school in Delhi that was built by the previous AAP government, and the then Chief Minister Atishi inaugurated it. But it is unfortunate that due to minor issues like the lack of water and electricity connections, this school remains closed.”
He added, “The BJP government is beating drums about completing 100 days in power, spending lakhs of rupees on grand events to self-congratulate, but the ground reality is that this school in Sunder Nagri has not started yet.”
Veer Singh Dhingan further said, “This school should have been opened in the current academic session, but due to the negligence of the BJP government, it hasn’t happened.” Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, he remarked, “The BJP government in Delhi is mocking the slogan. I have raised this issue before the local MP and district administration in the DDC meeting and demanded the school be opened immediately. Even the officers had promised that the school would start during this academic session. But now the session is about to end, summer holidays are around the corner, and the school is still shut.”
He called the continued closure of the school a clear example of the government’s indifference, negligence, and discrimination against the poor. “The BJP government has no intention of helping the poor, and the fact that the school has not started is a clear sign that the BJP does not care for the downtrodden. Otherwise, minor issues can be resolved in a day. But those very issues are being used as excuses to keep the school shut,” he said. “I spoke to the MP, the Education Minister, and even the Chief Minister about this issue, and also submitted formal letters of request, but received no response. Isn’t this blatant discrimination against the downtrodden and also, petty politics?”
The AAP MLA added, “I had requested the MP a month ago to start this school, and the MP had promised that the school would open in this session. But sadly, the school is still closed.”
He called it a glaring example of the BJP government’s apathy and carelessness. “Due to the school not being opened, children in this area are starving for education. In nearby schools, 80 children are being forced into one classroom, even though government norms allow only 40 per class. When this school is fully built and ready, why are children forced into overcrowded classrooms?” He reminded that “the previous AAP government had built three schools in this area, but the BJP government has not started even one of them.”
Veer Singh Dhingan added, “There is no major issue in starting this school—only minor faults that can be fixed in a day. The BJP government just needs to make a phone call to the DDC or DC to give directions to open the school, and it can be done. But it’s unfortunate that even this simple step is not being taken by the government.”
He warned, “If the BJP government does not immediately open the school, AAP will take to the streets. We will gherao the Chief Minister, burn effigies, launch a movement, and raise the issue strongly in the Assembly as well.” He emphasised, “AAP is trying peacefully to get this school operational, but if the government forces our hand, we will take every step necessary as a responsible opposition.”
Arvind Kejriwal government built a grand school building where land was once occupied by land mafias
Earlier governments gave no importance to education. Due to this indifference, although land was allotted for a school in Sunder Nagri back in 2003, land mafias had encroached upon it.
When the Aam Aadmi Party came to power, then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal moved swiftly to bring revolutionary change in education and began transforming government schools. In 2016, the Arvind Kejriwal government freed the land from the grip of land mafias.
In 2023, the then Deputy CM inaugurated the construction of the school building, and in 2024, then CM Atishi inaugurated the grand school structure. The AAP government has constructed a world-class school building. It includes 131 rooms, seven laboratories and a library, a multipurpose hall, and other modern facilities.
