Sisodia's letter from Tihar jail calls for education as key to equality, empowerment
Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 May, 2023 12:13 PM
New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) Manish Sisodia, Delhi's former deputy chief minister and education minister, in a letter from Tihar Jail has emphasised the transformative power of education and the need to uplift the underprivileged sections of society.
The letter, which was shared on Twitter by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, emphasizes the crucial role of education in providing equal opportunities for every child.
Sisodia, through his letter which is written in Hindi, draws attention to the consequences of neglecting the education of the less fortunate, asserting that denying education to the impoverished not only perpetuates inequality but also fuels a vicious cycle of hatred and violence.
"If every impoverished individual is equipped with a book, who would remain to propagate hatred? If every person finds meaningful work to occupy their hands, who would resort to wielding swords on the streets?"
In his letter, Sisodia underscores the importance of a strong educational foundation in dismantling barriers and combating divisive ideologies. He believes that an educated society, built on knowledge and wisdom, holds the key to eradicating the illusion of hatred.
Sisodia further emphasizes that with the widespread access to quality education, the eventual demise of 'WhatsApp University' is inevitable.
"When society is built upon the solid foundation of education and wisdom, individuals will no longer be ensnared in the tangled web of hatred," the letter read.
Furthermore, Sisodia highlights the empowerment that education brings, particularly to the marginalised. He stresses the significance of providing tools such as pens to enable individuals to express their thoughts and aspirations freely.
He asserts that once education reaches every child in the society, it will challenge and scrutinise your cunningness and manipulative tactics.
"As the power of the pen reaches the hands of the underprivileged, they will fearlessly give voice to their deepest thoughts and beliefs," the letter further read.
"Regardless of whether you imprison us or subject us to punishment, this journey will persist. When every underprivileged child receives an education, your grand palace will be left empty and devoid of meaning," it added.
In a statement here, the Chief Minister said the drug trade which had flourished during the previous Akali-BJP and the Congress regime had ruined the future generations of the state.
Troopers of Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army and BRO personnel under 'Project Swastik' swung into action immediately, and launched an all-out rescue mission. A total of 23 people, including six from a deep valley, have been pulled out alive. They have been shifted to the nearby medical facilities of the Indian Army.
While denying him bail, Judge Nagpal had said that Sisodia can, prima facie, be held to be the "architect of the criminal conspiracy". He observed that the payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore was meant for him and his other colleagues in the AAP government.
During his campaign, Gandhi stated that "all thieves have Modi surname", equating Prime Minister Narendra Modi with fugitives like Lalit Modi and Nirav Modi. On March 23, a lower court in Surat found him guilty of defaming the entire Modi community in a case filed by BJP MLA Purnesh Modi.
A Delhi Police official said that one of the buyers was a liquor mafia group led by Sumit Anangpur from Faridabad, which purchased stolen luxury cars worth around Rs 20 lakh each, for just Rs 3-4 lakh and used them to hoodwink the agencies to transport foreign liquor to Bihar.
Last week, the country had seen a surge with 18,450 fresh cases, a substantial rise from the previous week's 8,781 cases. The Omicron variant XBB.1.16 is believed to be behind the sudden surge of the cases.
