MLA V. Joy rubbishes BJP leader Anoop Antony’s social media post on school infrastructure in Kerala

A social media post by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kerala State general secretary Anoop Antony on the state of government schools in Kerala drew a strong rebuttal from Communist Party of India (Marxist) Thiruvananthapuram district secretary V. Joy, MLA.

Referring to the photo of Mr Joy voting at Perunkuzh Government Lower Primary School near Chirayinkeezhu in Thiruvananthapuram district, Mr Antony tried to draw attention to the condition of the school. He claimed that the Perunkuhy school was no exception. Public schools across the state were in a similar situation.

He also attributed the condition of schools to the controversy over Kerala not getting on board to implement the Union government’s flagship PM SHRI (Prime Minister’s Schools for Rising India) scheme.

Mr. Antony alleged that the Left Democratic Front continues to boast about its leadership model of education but has not implemented PM SHRI for the improvement of dilapidated schools. “The communist government is selling rosy pictures to the world while hiding the rot within itself,” he said, claiming that it was ruining the students’ future.

Denying Mr Antony’s accusations, Mr Joy wrote on Facebook that it was foolish to form opinions in haste. He also posted a video clip of the colorfully painted Perunkuzh Government Primary School and its facilities for young students, such as slides and a toy train.

He pointed out that the school is a high-tech institution with all modern facilities.

Mr. Joy told Hindu that a new grand building was being constructed for the school at a cost of ₹ 1 crore.

However, in order to set up multiple voting booths in the school, an old building, which was not in use that day, was reopened as it had a ramp facility for the benefit of differently-abled voters in wheelchairs.

Mr Antony’s post also sparked some backlash, with viewers commenting under the post that he was lying. Kerala’s literacy levels and other achievements in the education sector were still better than those of states with which the BJP has been in power for years and implemented PM SHRI.