Chandigarh, Apr 11 (PTI) Hitting back at opposition parties’ criticism of the Punjab government’s ‘Sikhya Kranti’ (education revolution) as simply a spree of inaugurations, ruling party leaders on Friday said previous governments had left government schools in a dire state without even basic bathroom facilities.

The AAP government’s ‘Sikhya Kranti’, a 54-day “education festival” that began on Monday to inaugurate newly developed infrastructure projects in 12,000 government schools worth Rs 2,000 crore, has been dubbed “Udghantan Kranti (inauguration revolution) by the BJP.

The Congress, too, has also dismissed the initiative as a “ribbon-cutting” campaign for “toilet repairs”.

Punjab’s Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday lambasted the Congress, BJP and the Akali Dal for “failing Punjab’s children for decades” and slammed them for criticising the state government’s efforts in improving school infrastructure.

“Before our government, over 3,000 schools in Punjab didn’t even have basic toilet facilities. Where was their shame when our daughters were forced to relieve themselves in the open, often dropping out of school because of the lack of clean and safe bathrooms?” Bains said.

The minister said the AAP government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has successfully built toilets and ensured clean drinking water in every school, bringing dignity to students and transforming government schools into spaces of respect and equality.

These toilets aren’t mere structures, they are a reminder of their 75 years of apathy and failure, the AAP minister said.

“While their (opposition leaders) own children attended elite schools with air-conditioned bathrooms, they deprived the children of labourers and farmers of even the most basic facilities,” he said.

According to a party statement, AAP spokesperson Neel Garg criticised the opposition “for mocking the inauguration of toilets in schools”.

“This mockery is not directed at the AAP government. It is a slap on the face of the system that failed for 70 years under the Congress, BJP, and Akali Dal,” said Garg.

He assured the public that AAP is committed to delivering quality education and infrastructure for every child in Punjab, irrespective of their background.

On Thursday, Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin said, “AAP MLA Labh Singh Ugoke inaugurated the repaired toilet of a Government Senior Secondary School. It is even mentioned on the inauguration plaque. What kind of ‘kranti’ is it?” The Congress too, has slammed the AAP government for its ‘Sikhya Kranti’ programme, calling it “petty theatrics to gain publicity”, and asked the Mann government to improve the basic infrastructure in schools instead.

Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa Friday took a dig at AAP, saying the people of Punjab will vote them out in the next assembly elections.

“@BhagwantMann, once a comedian, has now turned Punjab’s governance into a full-blown comedy show. While real issues like unemployment, drugs and law and order are ignored, he’s busy cutting ribbons for toilet repairs.

“Come 2027, the people of Punjab will flush out @AamAadmiParty so hard, their leaders will hide in washrooms,” Partap Bajwa posted on X. PTI SUN SKY SKY