हिंदी
AAP leaders join ‘dharna’ by varsity staff against govt’s failure to address their concern
Patiala, August 13
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab senior leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Harpal Singh Cheema has alleged that the successive governments ruling the state from time to time, had targeted government schools, colleges and universities, including star Punjabi University, Patiala, in collusion with the government-sponsored education mafia.
Harpal Singh Cheema was interacting with the media here on Thursday after participating in a ‘dharna’ being staged by the faculty and non-teaching staff of the University. He was accompanied among others, Prof. Bhim Inder Singh, Nina Mittal, Dr. Balbir, RPS Malhotra, Tejinder Mehta and party volunteers.
Cheema said the iconic Punjabi University, conceptualised and dedicated to mother tongue, held greater significance for Punjab and Punjabiyat, saying the government which had failed to protect such invaluable temples of learning was no more required to be in top positions.
The AAP leader said “What can be more disdainful for the government than seeing the tallest institute in the hometown of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, crumbling under government apathy, overbearing political interference and lack of funds and other facilities.
Cheema said the Punjabi University was reeling under debit to the tune of Rs. 150 crore while the government in the saddle was maintaining a stoic silence over bailing it out of the abysmal financial crisis, blaming both Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his wife and Member of Parliament from Patiala Maharani Preneet Kaur for the mess up.
Harpal Singh Cheema said the government in the saddle should enhance the annual budget for education in Punjab on the lines of the Kejriwal government in Delhi, to navigate the University out of the financial mess by allocating a special financial package, saying “If teachers are subjected to strike work for their salaries, there can be nothing more mortifying than this for the government”
