DoE circular asks principals, teachers of Delhi govt schools to attend CM's swearing-in ceremony

Delhi's Directorate of Education (DoE) has issued a circular to its officials and teachers and principals of Delhi government schools to attend the swearing-in-ceremony of the chief minister and his council of ministers on Sunday, a move slammed by opposition leaders.

The circular also says attendance will be compiled at the entry gates of the Ramlila Maidan, where CM-designate Arvind Kejriwal and his council of ministers will take oath on February 16.

In a tweet, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, "The Aam Aadmi Party, which has won elections by making the announcement of freebies, has enough MLAs but not public support."

"With the fear of people not attending the swearing-in ceremony, the government has issued a diktat to 30,000 teachers to mandatorily attend," he added.

Delhi Congress's chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma took to Twitter to say, "A government order has been issued asking government school teachers to reach at the Arvind Kejriwal government's oath-taking ceremony. It is clear that power is being 'misused' to gather a crowd for the swearing-in ceremony."

Sharma urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal to take cognisance of it, saying it was a matter of enquiry.

Responding to the allegations, a senior DoE official said, "The circular should be taken on face value. They have been invited as an honour to their contribution to the education model of the AAP government."

The official, however, did not comment on whether it was mandatory for the invitees to attend the event or not.