 "Fresh controversy over PM Modi's degrees as DU refuses to answer RTI query")
The controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational degrees is back in news, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying that Delhi University's (DU's) recent rejection of a right to information (RTI) query seeking details of the prime minister's Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree "deepens the mystery".
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was responding to reports that said that the DU, citing privacy, had rejected another RTI query filed by a Delhi-based lawyer regarding the prime minister's educational qualifications.
How it began
The controversy began when, in late April this year, the Central Information Commission (CIC) directed the DU and the Gujarat University to search for and provide information on degrees earned by the prime minister to Kejriwal.
The CIC also directed the Prime Minister’s Office to provide “specific number and year” of the degrees.
The genesis of the case, according to reports, lies in two CIC orders, preceding the April direction, 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.
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One of the previous CIC orders in question pertains to the case of Hans Raj Jain. Jain had sought the details of the students who passed in 1978 with names starting from N (Narendra) and M (Modi). In response, the DU had claimed that it will not be possible to search from lakhs of external students unless roll number was provided.
The case was closed by the CIC. The reason cited was that under “complaint proceedings” in the RTI Act, disclosure of information cannot be ordered by the CIC. Further, that to levy penalty there should be malafide on the part of the central public information officer, which could not be proved.
In the other case, related to one Neeraj Pandey, Acharyulu had sought an explanation from Kejriwal as to why he as an MLA should not be declared as public authority under the RTI Act and why his party, too, was not brought under the Act.
BJP hits back
With the AAP targeting the prime minister and the controversy dragging on, in early May, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back.
The BJP made Modi's college degrees available in the public domain and demanded an apology from Kejriwal.
Saying that it was unfortunate that a clarification was required on the prime minister's qualifications, BJP President Amit Shah, along with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, addressed the media and accused the AAP chief of trying to create confusion by turning a lie into the truth.
Shah told the media that the party was putting both of Modi's degrees – BA from DU and Masters from Gujarat University – in public domain.
AAP refuses to back down
However, the AAP persisted with its allegations that the degrees were not genuine.
AAP leader Ashutosh alleged there were discrepancies in the documents presented by the BJP, including how the prime minister’s name was spelt differently in the BA degree and the mark sheets as ‘Modi’ as well as ‘Mody’.
“In some places, it is Narendra Kumar Damoderdas and in others Narendra Damoderdas,” he said.
AAP leaders also alleged there were discrepancies in totalling of the marks.
Kejriwal, for his part, took to Twitter, alleging that the DU had sealed the records. “Docs in DU hv been sealed. BJP presents Farzi (Fake) docs in a PC n gets real records sealed? Why? Implement CIC order. Allow inspection (sic),” he said.
DU clarifies
Days after the BJP presented the prime minister's degrees, downplaying AAP's allegations, the DU said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BA degree, as circulated by the BJP, was "authentic" and that the university had all the relevant records relating to his graduation.
Further, the university termed the mention of 1979 in Modi's degree, whereas he graduated a year earlier, as a "minor error".
The AAP responded by claiming that the university had authenticated the prime minister's degree under political pressure from the Centre. The university, for its part, rejected the allegation.
Fresh rejection rakes up controversy
The issue came back to life on Sunday, when reports emerged that the DU had rejected another RTI query seeking information about the prime minister's degree.
"DU, as a matter of policy, seeks to maintain the privacy of every student as it holds the data pertaining to a student in a fiduciary relationship with the student concerned," the RTI response from the university read.