Will ensure good, free education to children of poor in Punjab, says AAP

AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that if voted to power in Punjab, his party will ensure good and free of cost education to the children of the poor and the downtrodden.

"It is only through good education that equality can be brought in society and the right to equality as enshrined in the Constitution can be ensured in the true sense," Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the main opposition party in the state, said.

Assembly polls in the state are slated to take place this year.

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Kejriwal, who is the chief minister of Delhi, also paid obeisance at the Ram Tirath temple, the ashram of Maharishi Valmiki and the birthplace of Lord Ram's sons Luv and Kush here.

On his visit, the Sant Samaj honoured Kejriwal.

"I guarantee the education of all Dalit children to fulfil the dreams of Maharishi Valmiki and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar. Equality can be brought in the society only by giving good education to children of the poor and the downtrodden," he said.

Addressing the media, Kejriwal said, "Both Maharishi Valmiki and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar gave utmost importance to education. Babasaheb Ambedkar's dream was that every child of India, whether he is poor or rich, should get good education."

But it is very unfortunate that today due to the bad condition of government schools, children of Dalits and the poor are not getting good education, he claimed.

"All parties made many promises related to better education for Dalit children but did not take any steps to actually make it possible," the AAP leader said

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Kejriwal made four promises related to the education of Dalit children, sanitation workers, seers and people engaged sewer maintenance.

Emphasising on the education of poor and downtrodden children, Kejriwal made the first promise and said, it is only through good education that equality can be brought in society.

"Therefore, the AAP, if voted to power, will provide an opportunity to all poor and downtrodden children of Punjab to get good and free education," he said.

Kejriwal agreed with the Sant Samaj's demand to dissolve the Ram Tirath temple shrine board.

"The AAP will accept the demand of the Sant Samaj and dissolve the shrine board and hand over the responsibility of running the temple to society," he promised.

Kejriwal made the third promise for sanitation workers.

Temporary sanitation workers of Punjab are forced to work on very low wages. They also have to struggle a lot to meet their daily needs, he said.

The AAP will make sure that all the sanitation workers are regularised, Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said, "It is very unfortunate that even in the 21st century, sewer men have to clean drains by hand. In Delhi, we have provided kits to all sewer men. When the AAP forms government, no sewer man in Punjab will have to clean the mess by hand. The kits will be provided to all the sewer men."

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