Delhi a victim of ‘stepmotherly treatment’ by Centre: Sisodia

NEWDELHI: India has created several public institutions but they cater to only 1-5% population and for the rest 95% the system has completely collapsed, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said at Harvard University during the annual India Conference.

“India has created institutions like the IITs, IIMs and AIIMS that produce professionals of high calibre. But all these institutes currently cater to 1-5% of the population,” he said during the 40-minute talk on Sunday as per Indian Standard Time.

Sisodia was invited by the University to speak about Delhi government’s innovation in education and healthcare, a government release said. Sisodia showed the audience old pictures of dilapidated government schools, followed by pictures of government’s newly constructed and renovated schools.

He said government schools in Delhi have been made more accountable to parents, by empowering parent bodies called School Management Committees (SMCs).

Meanwhile, PTI reported that Sisodia alleged Delhi is a victim of “step-motherly treatment” by the Centre and said that the federal government is confused if it should treat Delhi as a union territory or as a state. This was not mentioned in the government’s press statement.

“Delhi is a victim of stepmotherly treatment by the centre,” Sisodia said during a panel discussion on “Cooperative and Competitive Federalism” at the annual India Conference organised by the prestigious Harvard University.