After Congress Comments On Punjab's Schools, AAP's Himachal Counter

The political battle over Punjab's education model has intensified, with Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party trading sharp barbs over the condition of government schools and the claims surrounding the AAP government's education reforms.

The verbal exchange began after a school audit in Punjab was questioned by Congress leader Sachin Pilot.

"Anyone would welcome auditing schools in Punjab or elsewhere. Only one request/suggestion: audit Punjab with the same eyes, the same questions and the same courage with which you audit governments elsewhere. Punjab deserves no special exemption-and AAP deserves no friendly exemption," he wrote on X.

Pilot's remarks were seen as a direct challenge to the AAP government's claims about its education model and the condition of government schools in Punjab.

The debate intensified after Saurav Das posted on X about his team's school audit in Ludhiana. Das said the team had visited government schools and was impressed by the "Schools of Eminence".

"Most of the 20 points were on the positive side," Das said, while also pointing out that some problems were observed during the audit.

Das said the issues were subsequently conveyed to Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. According to him, Bains "readily agreed to meet us" after the concerns were raised.

"We demanded the problems be resolved immediately. The Minister assured us of swift action," Das said.

The observations, however, provided fresh political ammunition for the Congress to question the broader claims surrounding Punjab's education model.

AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia then directly responded to Sachin Pilot, turning the issue into a Punjab-versus-Himachal political challenge.

"Sachin ji, we can show such excellent 1,000 schools; can you show us such 1,000 schools from Himachal Pradesh?" Sisodia posted on X.

He then proposed a joint audit of government schools in both states.

"Let us together audit the government schools of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh," Sisodia said, adding, "Speak up! Is the challenge accepted?"

With the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, education is emerging as another major battleground between the AAP and Congress, with both sides now challenging each other to put their claims to an independent and comparable test.