AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj addresses a press conference. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress on Tuesday (April 15, 2025) took on Chief Minister Rekha Gupta over her “decision to halt” the issuance of the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) certificates.

AAP charged the government with “deliberately preventing the marginalised from availing of reservation in private schools and hospitals” while the Congress accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to deny education benefits provided to the reserved category students from poor families.

In response, the BJP dismissed the allegations, asserting that the government had not suspended issuing such documents.

It also attacked the Opposition parties for “creating confusion by making falseclaims”.

“The CM has not imposed any ban on the issuance of EWS certificates. She has only instructed the formulation of proper guidelines to prevent misuse,” said Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva.

‘Don’t punish public’

Addressing a press conference, AAP’s Delhi State president Saurabh Bharadwaj cited purported minutes of the meeting held at the Chief Minister’s Office, claiming that the Revenue Department had been ordered not to issue new EWS certificates pending a review. The move, he added, will adversely impact those seeking admission to schools, colleges, and hospitals.

“The government will examine the EWS certificates issued so far, as there is an estimation that a very large number of ineligible persons have been issued the certificates,” he said, quoting from the purported report.

Mr. Bharadwaj added that if there were flaws in the certificate-issuing process, the government should have fixed them instead of “punishing the public for the mistakes of officials appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor (V.K. Saxena)”.

‘Fake’ certificates

Mr. Sachdeva hit back, accusing the former Delhi Health Minister of spreading falsehood and creating unnecessary controversy.

He said the BJP had previously flagged the issuance of “fake” EWS certificates during the AAP government’s tenure, but no action had been taken.

Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav said the “move will snatch the rights of the poor to get education and join society’s mainstream”.