BJP stages walkout from Delhi Assembly alleging closure of govt schools

BJP MLAs staged a walkout from the Delhi Assembly on Monday following a furore over alleged closure of schools by the Kejriwal dispensation.

During special mention under Rule 280, the Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri raised the issue of closure of Delhi government schools in the assembly.

Even after Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia's reply, the BJP legislators continued their protest.

Later, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel ordered the marshalled out of BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht from the assembly. The other BJP MLAs walked out in protest.

Goel said he will not take up BJP MLAs Rule 280 notices since they walked out of the House. The MLAs subsequently returned to the House.

Earlier, Delhi BJP MLA and leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged that a Sarvodaya school in Ludlow Castle had been shut.

"The government said the school has been shut with the consensus of the parents and the management of the school. The school is being converted into the Delhi Sports University," he said.

Bidhuri also said the school is named after Amir Chand, a martyr.

"By closing the school, the government is disrespecting a martyr. I urge the government to not close the school," he said.

Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, dismissed the allegations as baseless.

"This is a false allegation by Leader of Opposition. Kejriwal government believes in opening schools not closing them," he said.

Sisodia alleged that deliberately, the DDA lands were given to private schools and not government schools.

"The BJP with LG changed land use to pave for party headquarters building at a land for schools.There has been a merger of two shifts in schools and it is being misled as closure of schools. We are going to start Delhi Sports University and they are saying we are closing schools. BJP closed hundreds of MCD schools," he said.