Degree row: BJP hits back at Kejriwal, puts Modi’s degrees in public domain

New Delhi : Putting to rest the increasing clamour around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s educational qualification, Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called a press conference in New Delhi on Monday to clarify PM’s college degrees.
Terming it unfortunate that such a press conference had to be called in the first place, Shah said, “Arvind Kejriwal tried to turn a blatant lie into truth and create confusion among public by saying that the Prime Minister’s degrees are fake. We are putting both of his degrees, Bachelor of Arts from Delhi University and MA from Gujarat university, in public domain.”
Demanding a public apology from the Kejriwal camp for levelling baseless allegations, the BJP leader also said, “I will write a letter to Kejriwal so that he is reassured. He has not only lowered down the standards of public life but has also defamed the nation across the world. Making such public statements, attacking someone without checking the facts is a very lowly thing to do.” The genesis of the case is in two previous CIC orders and a scathing letter from Kejriwal to Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu where he demanded that while he was ready to share information sought by RTI applicants, the CIC must also order disclosure of educational qualifications of the Prime Minister.
The CIC, acting on the letter from Kejriwal, had last Friday asked the Delhi University and Gujarat University to “make best possible search for the information regarding degrees in the name of Mr Narendra Damodardas Modi in the year 1978 (Graduation in DU) and 1983 (Post Graduation in GU) and provide it to the appellant Mr Kejriwal as soon as possible”.
Kerjriwal claimed that AAP volunteers have conducted “searches” across departments of DU, even in school of open learning, but did not come across Modi’s enrolment form or degree.