Delhi govt using happiness classes as 'propaganda' tool: BJP

BJP leader Vijender Gupta on Monday accused the AAP-led Delhi government of using its popular 'happiness curriculum' as a "propaganda tool" and demanded a third party audit of the classes.

A 45-minute 'Happiness Class' is organised in the government schools of Delhi daily. It teaches children to be emotionally strong, confident and happy.

The city government is also celebrating a 15-day "Happiness Utsav" in its schools on completion of an year of the happiness curriculum.

Gupta, who is the Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, alleged that the school activity has been converted into a political stunt by the Arvind Kejriwal-led government.

"The last one year has seen high voltage multimedia publicity of the experiment. Crores of rupees have been spent on its publicity. Unreasonable amounts of public fund is being used on propaganda. It would have been better if this amount was spent on helping poor students," he said.

The BJP leader accused the government of "patting its back" without any third party audit of such classes.

"Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is being projected as the hero of the activity for political purposes. The government has been screening short films (on it) in cinema halls, three to four times within a span of 10 minutes, much to the shock of cinema goers. The print media is being excessively used at the cost of government exchequer," he alleged.

Gupta demanded a third party audit of the happiness classes by independent organisations like the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT). He said experts should be roped in to find out the real impact of the happiness classes.

The BJP leader's allegations came on a day when Bollywood film "3 Idiots" fame Sonam Wangchuk and Odisha Education Minister Samir Ranjan visited a government school here to attend the happiness class.

The duo was accompanied by Sisodia during their visit to Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in West Vinod Nagar.