Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 15: The national capital is once again witnessing a bitter war of words, as former Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Delhi Government over its handling of private school fee hikes. Sisodia accused the administration of bowing down to the “education mafia”, which he claims had been kept in check during Arvind Kejriwal's tenure.

Taking to social media platform X, Sisodia said that within just three months of BJP’s governance in Delhi, parents are being forced to plead for justice as private schools ramp up fees unchecked. “The same education mafia that was restrained under Kejriwal's leadership has returned like wolves, preying on helpless families,” Sisodia alleged.

Backing his statements, AAP leader Atishi questioned the intent behind a new ordinance on fee regulation, claiming that “not a single school has been punished” so far, despite repeated complaints from parents.

In a sharp rebuttal, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva dismissed Sisodia’s claims as “baseless and misleading.” Sachdeva questioned the effectiveness of AAP’s 10-year rule, stating that private school fees had doubled or even quadrupled under their watch, without any substantial legal framework to regulate the hikes.

Defending the BJP's new ordinance, Sachdeva said it reflects "genuine concern for parents" and introduces a transparent structure in which any fee hike must be approved unanimously by an 11-member school committee, including five parent representatives.

He further took a dig at Sisodia’s past, urging him to respond to the Anti-Corruption Branch's inquiries regarding alleged irregularities in classroom construction under AAP’s tenure, instead of launching what he described as a “propaganda campaign”.

As the education debate rages on, Delhi’s political corridors remain abuzz, with both parties trading barbs over who truly stands for the interests of parents and students