Not giving education priority post 1947 a mistake: Kejriwal

Chandigarh: Not giving importance to education post-Indepence was a mistake the country made, AAP Chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said. On Wednesday, he launched Aam Aadmi Party's party's 'Make India No. 1' campaign, PTI reported.

"The country should have focused on education. We should have focused on building good government schools in every nook and corner, every village and mohalla in war mode in 1947," Kejriwal told reporters.

He accused the ruling BJP in Haryana, where he started the campaign, as well as the Congress government before the BJP of shutting government schools, which according to him, was a dangerous trend.

PTI reports that AAP often showcases Delhi government schools as an example that should be followed by other states, using its success in the national capital as part of its pitch when elections approach.

"There is a wrong trend in the country at present. Like in Haryana, around 190 government schools were shut by the present government, and the previous government closed down 500 schools," he said.

Both these governments shut 700 government schools in the last few years," Kejriwal said. According to him, government schools should be upgraded instead to provide quality education. "The practice of shutting government schools that is going on in the country is very dangerous," he said.

Kejriwal said 27 crore children go to school every day across the country.

He said that 27 crore children go to school every day across the country. Of them, 18 crores go to government schools. If we start shutting them, where will the 18 crore poor children go and if they remain uneducated, how will the country progress," he said.

"We have to ensure good and free education in the country in war mode," he opined.

However, he congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for deciding to upgrade 14,500 schools across the country. But he added that all schools in the country needed to be improved, and he has written to PM asking him to take all states along and upgrade 10.50 lakh government schools in the country over the next five years.

Accusing politicians of hindering India from becoming number one in the last 75 years, Kejriwal stated that if 130 crore people unite, nobody can stop India from reaching that point.

"We have set out on this mission, and we will reach every nook and corner and go to the states and try to connect people," he said, referring to his party's campaign.