A fresh political confrontation has erupted in Delhi after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that senior officials of Apeejay School were present at the residence of Education Minister Ashish Sood late Monday night with students’ admit cards. The opposition party has accused the BJP-led government of shielding private schools and failing to act while students preparing for board exams faced uncertainty.
The controversy has now escalated into a direct war of words between AAP and the BJP.
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“What Exactly Is The Relationship?”
Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned why the principal and manager of Apeejay School were allegedly at the residence of Ashish Sood instead of distributing admit cards to students.
“What exactly is the relationship between Ashish Sood and the Apeejay School principal? Are they relatives or friends? Issuing admit cards is the school’s duty, yet the principal was sitting at the minister’s house with them. Why were they there?,” Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned.
He claimed that students appearing for Class 10 board examinations were left anxious as admit cards were allegedly withheld over a fee dispute. According to him, parents were told that cards would only be issued if increased fees were paid.
“For parents, fighting over school fees is extremely difficult because children are involved. Parents can fight their own battles, but they cannot fight their children’s battles, as children are harassed at school,” he said.
Allegations Of Government Inaction
Bharadwaj further argued that if the Education Minister truly stood with students, action should have been taken. “If he truly were a guardian, he would have reprimanded the Apeejay School principal on the spot for daring to withhold admit cards a day before the exam. Instead, Ashish Sood was sitting with the Apeejay School manager and principal. Why has he not yet filed an FIR against the school?” he added.
Referring to legal provisions, he stated, “Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act prescribes punishment for cruelty towards children. This section covers any act that causes mental or physical suffering to a child. Withholding admit cards right before an examination legally amounts to mental harassment and cruelty. This is a clear legal provision, yet why has Ashish Sood not filed an FIR? Has he lost his courage?”
He also questioned why no action had allegedly been taken against officials in the Directorate of Education despite repeated complaints from parents.
“Higher Authority” Remark Sparks Further Questions
Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha claimed that during a protest outside the school, the principal suggested he could act only if instructed by a “higher authority.”
“At that time, the principal said his hands were tied. He said that if he received a call from ‘above,’ he would issue the admit cards, but until instructions came from above, he could do nothing. At that moment, it was unclear who this ‘higher authority’ was,” he said.
Jha added that later developments led them to believe that the “higher authority” referred to the Delhi government. “It is now evident that in this matter, Ashish Sood’s government is just as responsible as Apeejay School. Both are equally guilty,” he added.
Protest And Political Face-Off
Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar stated that AAP leaders remained outside the school for hours until the admit cards were finally issued.
“This clearly means that the children were harassed at the behest of Ashish Sood’s government and were given their admit cards only eight hours before the exam. What benefit did that bring them?” he said.
Kuldeep Kumar also rejected claims that the minister was unaware of the situation, asserting that media reports had already highlighted the issue days earlier.
BJP Yet To Respond
AAP leaders have alleged that the Rekha Gupta-led government is protecting private schools, allowing them to act without accountability. Meanwhile, the BJP has not issued a detailed public response to the allegations at the time of reporting.
As exam season intensifies, the controversy raises a larger question: when disputes over fees collide with board examinations, who safeguards the students’ interests first?
For now, the political battle continues, with students and parents caught at its centre.
