Slamming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for inviting the heads of government schools for Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal’s oath-taking ceremony, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra on Saturday said that “forcing” the teachers to come for the ceremony is the beginning of a wrong tradition. “It is a good thing that teachers were invited for the swearing-in ceremony but forcing them to follow the government orders is the beginning of a wrong tradition,” Mishra tweeted.

Delhi BJP chief Vijendar Gupta also echoed similar sentiments. He termed the Directorate of Education circular asking teachers to attend the ceremony, as dictatorial.

“The Directorate of Education, GNCTD has issued a dictatorial circular making it compulsory for govt teachers to attend Mr. @ArvindKejriwal’s oath ceremony. By virtue of the order 15000 teachers & officials are forced to attend the ceremony,” Gupta tweeted.

In another tweet, Gupta said that he has written to Kejriwal to take back the order and termed it as a misuse of the government machinery.

“I have written to Mr. @ArvindKejriwal asking him to withdraw the tughlaqi farmaan to the teachers & officials which is sheer misuse of government machinery to meet political ends. Education cannot be employed as a tool to launch one’s political ambitions,” he said.

Snapping back, AAP clarified saying the teachers have been ‘invited’ and not ‘ordered’ to attend the event.
“Delhi’s teachers and principals are the architects of Delhi’s transformation in the past 5 years. They deserve to be invited to the swearing-in at Ramlila Maidan tomorrow. When did BJP last think of teachers in at the centre of your ‘vikas’ model? Never did, never will,” AAP leader Jasmine Shah said in a tweet.

In a press conference on Saturday, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia made the announcement that teachers, students, school peons, Mohalla clinic doctors, bike ambulance drivers who benefited from the party’s scheme will share the stage with Kejriwal on Sunday. He attributed the AAP’s emphatic victory to the people of Delhi.

He said people from all walks of life in Delhi such as teachers, students, doctors, lawyers, journalists, Delhi Metro drivers, Chartered Accountants who have contributed to the development of Delhi will be special guests at Kejriwal’s oath-taking ceremony.

Kejriwal’s oath-taking ceremony at the Ramlila ground on Sunday (16 February).
The AAP returned to power after winning 62 of the 70 Assembly seats in the Delhi assembly election.