AAP’s Controversial Credit Grab: The Hidden Story of GGSIPU Campus Funding

On June 8, 2023, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) created a storm on Twitter by bombarding their timeline with numerous tweets applauding their leader, Arvind Kejriwal, for the remarkable achievement of constructing the East Delhi Campus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). With each tweet, the AAP government proudly shared captivating pictures showcasing the state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure at the newly developed campus, taking full credit for its transformation and development.

In one particular tweet, the AAP confidently proclaimed, “Is this an American University? Is this a European University? No, This is the East Delhi Campus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, built by the Arvind Kejriwal government.” With this statement, the party aimed to emphasize the exceptional quality and standard of the university, comparing it to renowned institutions from around the world.

So, is it true that the East Delhi Campus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) is entirely built by the Arvind Kejriwal government only? Let’s Fact Check.

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Fact Check

During our research, we first decided to check who laid the foundation stone for GGSIPU. During this, we came across a report by The Times of India published on December 14, 2014. According to this report, then Union HRD minister Smriti Irani on Sunday laid the foundation stone of an 18.75 acre east Delhi campus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU). The report highlighted that the east Delhi campus would not only be a hub of learning and academic excellence but also a testament to sustainable and modern infrastructure. The plans included the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as solar power panels and geo-thermal cooling systems.

Since Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, jointly unveiled the new campus of GGSIPU, we decided to go through the Official Twitter handle of Delhi’s LG Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena. During this, we came across a tweet from June 8, 2023, which provided fascinating insights regarding the newly built campus of GGSIPU. Accompanied by captivating pictures of the inauguration, Delhi LG wrote, the campus was constructed at a staggering cost of Rs 387 crore out of which Rs 346 crore, was sourced through self-financing by GGSIPU itself and only Rs 41 crore were spent by the Delhi government on the campus.

The tweet revealed that the initiative was set in motion back in 2013, underlining the long-term planning and perseverance involved. The foundation stone for the East Delhi Campus was laid in December 2014 by the then Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister, Smriti Irani.

Moreover, in another captivating tweet shared by Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, another remarkable aspect of the newly inaugurated East Delhi Campus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) came to light. The tweet highlighted the East Delhi Campus as a hub of futuristic learning, equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to support an array of innovative courses. Among the notable programs mentioned were Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Automation, and Design Innovation. Furthermore, the tweet also acknowledged GGSIPU’s remarkable journey since its establishment in 1998.

Apart from this, the GGSIPU was established during the BJP government in Delhi in 1998 when BJP’s Sahib Singh Verma was the Chief Minister of the state.

So, all these points prove, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been quick to claim credit for the newly constructed campus, there are crucial aspects that have been conveniently omitted from their narrative. One such aspect is the significant contribution made by GGSIPU itself towards the funding of the project. Out of the total cost of Rs 387 crore, an astounding Rs 346 crore, equivalent to 89.41% of the entire budget, was sourced through self-financing by GGSIPU.

In contrast, the Delhi government’s financial involvement in the project amounted to a sum of Rs 41 crore, representing a mere fraction of the overall cost. Surprisingly, while taking sole credit for the newly built campus, the AAP has failed to acknowledge this crucial fact, thereby giving a distorted impression of their contribution to the project.

Since, the newly constructed GGSIPU campus was primarily funded through self-financing by the university, with an astounding 89.41% of the total budget amounting to Rs 346 crore. The remaining 10.59% or Rs 41 crore was provided by the Delhi government. However, Arvind Kejriwal and his party failed to acknowledge this substantial self-financing effort by GGSIPU, instead choosing to present themselves as the sole driving force behind the project.

Ironically, while the AAP has been quick to bask in the glory of their minimal financial involvement in the GGSIPU campus, they have remained conspicuously silent when it comes to taking credit for the renovation of Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence. Surprisingly, this project stands in stark contrast to the GGSIPU campus, as it was entirely financed by the Delhi government, with Arvind Kejriwal allocating a staggering Rs 45 crore for his own comfort.

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