The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) marked Constitution Day with a firm and symbolic pushback against the BJP Government’s renaming spree, restoring Babasaheb Ambedkar’s name (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence) at the Khichripur School of Excellence after removing the “CM SHRI” (School for High-Quality Rejuvenation and Innovation) board imposed by the BJP government.
Led by Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar, AAP karyakartas restored the board named after Babasaheb Ambedkar i.e. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence, at the school and held a forceful demonstration against the BJP’s attempt to erase Babasaheb Ambedkar’s legacy from Delhi’s education system.
AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj stated on X: “The BJP Government had replaced Babasaheb Ambedkar’s name from Schools of Excellence with the Chief Minister’s title, but on Constitution Day, AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar reinstated Babasaheb’s name where it rightfully belongs.”
During the demonstration, senior AAP leader and MLA Kuldeep Kumar said that the Schools of Specialised Excellence established by the Arvind Kejriwal Government for the upliftment of children from poor families were originally named after Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. “These schools, known as ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Schools of Specialised Excellence’ (ASoSE), were enabling children from economically weaker backgrounds to study and become IAS, IPS officers, doctors and engineers,” he asserted.
The AAP MLA said that immediately after taking charge, Delhi CM Rekha Gupta committed a grave insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar by renaming these schools as ‘CM SHRI’. “Does the CM consider herself equal to Babasaheb Ambedkar. Even the entire BJP together is not equal to the dust of Babasaheb’s feet, yet they are engaged in the act of wiping out his name,” he affirmed.
Kuldeep Kumar said that the AAP had already warned the Chief Minister not to commit such a big mistake that she would have to face consequences for, but she did not listen. “Today, the AAP has restored these schools to their original name in honour of Babasaheb Ambedkar. I urge the Chief Minister to wake up and stop insulting Babasaheb Ambedkar; this was the biggest insult not only to Babasaheb Ambedkar but to the entire Dalit community,” he added.
Kuldeep Kumar appealed to the entire Dalit community to unite and stand against this Government. “This Government is testing the sentiments of the Dalit community, and the insult of Babasaheb Ambedkar will not be tolerated at any cost. This is not an ordinary political battle, and if anyone attempts to erase Babasaheb Ambedkar’s name, the AAP will never forgive them,” he affirmed.
Kuldeep Kumar said that the Arvind Kejriwal Government had named a total of 69 schools as ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Specialised Excellence’. CM Rekha Gupta, through a single order, changed the names of all these schools to ‘CM SHRI’ with immediate effect. “This is the same Chief Minister who, upon assuming office, first had Babasaheb Ambedkar’s photographs removed from her office and from the offices of her ministers. Rekha Gupta is an Babasaheb Ambedkar-opposing and Anti-Dalit Chief Minister, and with such politics, the BJP’s hold on Delhi will not last long,” he asserted.
