Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood Rebukes Kejriwal Over Claim That Teachers Were Asked to Count Stray Dogs, Seeks Public Apology

New Delhi | January 6, 2026 Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Tuesday strongly criticised former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for what he described as “wrong and misleading statements” about government school teachers being assigned duties related to counting stray dogs. Calling the claim factually incorrect, Sood demanded that Kejriwal issue a public apology for spreading what he termed disinformation. In a letter addressed to Kejriwal, the Education Minister said the former Chief Minister had publicly alleged that school teachers were being diverted from their academic duties to count stray dogs as part of a government exercise. Sood rejected the allegation, stating that it was not only untrue but also a serious misrepresentation of facts. He pointed out that the official government circular related to the matter is already available in the public domain and does not involve teachers being assigned such work. Sood said that given Kejriwal’s background as a former Chief Minister and an experienced administrator, his remarks could not be dismissed as a misunderstanding. He alleged that the statements appeared to be a deliberate attempt to disrupt the smooth implementation of an important public safety initiative. According to Sood, such remarks create confusion among the public and unnecessarily target teachers, who are already working under demanding conditions. The Education Minister also accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of following what he described as a “shoot-and-scoot” style of politics. He said this approach involves making unfounded allegations, creating public sensation, and then stepping back without taking responsibility. Such politics, Sood added, leads to unnecessary turmoil, weakens public trust, and affects the functioning of governance. Emphasising his responsibility as Education Minister, Sood said he would not allow misleading political statements to interfere with the welfare of children or the normal functioning of schools in Delhi. He stressed that teachers should not be dragged into political controversies through false claims, especially when there is no factual basis for such allegations. In his letter, Sood urged Kejriwal to act responsibly and apologise to the people of Delhi for spreading incorrect information. He said that healthy political debate must be based on truth, restraint, and respect for public institutions, particularly schools. “A responsible political discourse requires honesty and accountability,” the Minister wrote, adding that misleading statements harm both governance and public confidence. Sood further appealed to Kejriwal to refrain from making what he described as false, malicious, and misleading statements in the future. He said that offering a public apology would be a necessary step to correct the damage caused by the claim and to uphold the dignity of teachers and educational institutions. There was no immediate response from the Aam Aadmi Party or Arvind Kejriwal to the letter issued by the Education Minister. Meanwhile, the controversy has also taken a legal turn. An FIR has been registered by the police following a complaint from the Directorate of Education (DoE). The complaint accuses certain social media users of spreading false and misleading information about Delhi government school teachers being asked to count stray dogs. Officials said the circulation of such claims created confusion and negatively impacted the image of teachers and the education system. Government sources reiterated that teachers have not been assigned any duties related to counting stray animals and that the claims circulating on social media are baseless. Authorities have urged the public to rely on official communications and avoid sharing unverified information. The issue has sparked political debate in the capital, with education and governance once again becoming points of contention. As the situation develops, attention remains on whether Kejriwal or the AAP will respond to the Education Minister’s demand for an apology and clarify their stand on the matter. Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood Rebukes Kejriwal Over Claim That Teachers Were Asked to Count Stray Dogs, Seeks Public Apology Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood has strongly criticised former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his claim that government school teachers were asked to count stray dogs. Calling the statement false and misleading, Sood said such remarks wrongly drag teachers into political debates and create unnecessary confusion. In a letter to Kejriwal, Sood said the allegation has no factual basis and that the official government circular related to the issue is already in the public domain. He stressed that teachers were not assigned any duty related to counting stray animals. The Minister added that given Kejriwal’s experience as a former Chief Minister, the statement could not be treated as a simple misunderstanding. Sood accused the Aam Aadmi Party of following a pattern of making sensational claims and then stepping back without taking responsibility. He said this kind of politics harms public trust and disrupts governance. As Education Minister, he said he would not allow such claims to affect the welfare of students or the functioning of schools. The Minister urged Kejriwal to issue a public apology to the people of Delhi for spreading incorrect information. He also called for more responsible political discourse based on truth and respect for educational institutions. Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered following a complaint by the Directorate of Education against social media users for spreading false claims. There has been no immediate response from Kejriwal or AAP.