Cong takes swipe at Irani's 'false' education claims

Making incorrect statements under oath could entail a jail term of six months

The Congress on Wednesday highlighted the contradictory declarations made by the new human resource development (HRD) minister, Smriti Irani, about her educational qualifications in the sworn affidavits when she contested Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and 2014.

In 2004, while contesting from Chandni Chowk in Delhi, Irani had declared she had a Bachelor of Arts degree ("BA 1996 Delhi University - School of Correspondence.")

In the same column on educational qualifications, in the 2014 elections which she contested from Amethi, Irani had stated, "Bachelor of Commerce Part-1, School of Open Learning (Correspondence), University of Delhi-1994."

"We don't know which is correct - 2004 or 2014? Both can't be true," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi.

He said this was not only a mis-statement, distortion and a criminal offence but had electoral consequences.

In 2012, the Supreme Court had ruled false disclosures in an affidavit could be a ground for rejection of a candidate's nomination.

Making false statements under oath would entail a jail term of six months. That apart, Irani might have lost the Lok Sabha elections but the veracity of her educational qualifications could also impact her status as a Rajya Sabha member, depending upon which of the two affidavits is incorrect and which one had been submitted to the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress said it was now up to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to clarify which of the two affidavits of Irani was correct.

The Congress also mentioned for a ministry where the likes of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Murli Manohar Joshi had been heads, the suitability of Irani as minister was an issue.

Irani's selection for the ministry has already attracted a lot of attention. On Tuesday, well-known feminist and Modi supporter Madhu Kishwar and Congress leader Ajay Maken, also the party's communications head, had tweeted about the issue: "What a Cabinet of Modi? HRD Minister (looking after education) Smriti Irani is not even a graduate! Look at her affidavit at ECI site pg 11."

The BJP on Wednesday, however, did not sit back and lashed out at the Congress for raising questions about Irani's qualifications, taking a jibe at Congress President Sonia Gandhi's educational credentials.