Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday denied he was holidaying in Finland, saying India needed to learn a "lot from their education system, the best in the world".
Referring by name to a television anchor, Sisodia demanded to know why the journalist and "his political bosses (are) spreading conspiracy against my efforts to improve education (system) in Delhi?"
The Aam Aadmi Party leader said India's education was in a mess and he was making efforts to improve it in Delhi.
"Learning from across the world is not a sin. It's a sin to defame an educational tour as a 'holiday'," Sisodia tweeted.
"Studying Finland's schools is not a sin while working day and night to fix the problems of our schools in Delhi."
Attaching pictures of his various meetings in Helsinki, he said: "If you have the guts, show these pictures and tell the country what I am doing in Finland for the last three days.
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"I'm in Finland. We need to learn a lot from their education system, the best in the world."
Sisodia said he had visited some dozen schools, colleges, skill centres and universities in the last three days.
He said he had met senior officials of the Education Ministry, educators, principals, teachers, students and others in Finland.
"We have worked hard in Delhi on improving education and now we're here to see what more needs to be done.
"To fix the problems of Delhi's education system, I'll do whatever is needed. Whatever trolls may say!" And Sisodia added: "I am not on holiday as (some) are trying to propagate."
A long-time associate of AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia presides over Delhi's education department and is widely credited with bringing about major changes in government schools.