)
The controversy over HRD Minister Smriti Irani's educational qualifications has taken a new turn with her assertion that she also has a degree from the prestigious Yale University in the US.
The former television actress who is the vice president of the BJP, made the remark when pressed by a questioner at the India Today Woman Summit 2014 to clear the "mystery" over her educational degrees.
Soon after the Lok Sabha results were announced on May 16, Irani was at the centre of a raging controversy over her educational qualifications after it emerged that she had made contradictory declarations when she contested the parliamentary elections in 2004 and 2014.
"In that kitty of mine where people call me 'anpad' (illiterate) I do have a degree from Yale University as well which I can bring out and show how Yale celebrated by leadership capacities.
"Extraneous circumstances are being created so that I deviate my concentration from what my goals are," she said at the event yesterday. The BJP leader said she should be judged from what she delivers as a minister.
Irani did not explain what the Yale degree was but she was part of a group of 11 Indian MPs which underwent a six-day crash course at the Yale University. The course focused on the elections in India, the prospects for Afghanistan and Pakistan after the US military withdrawal in 2014 and the implications of political and economic transitions in China .
Iran's claim of holding a degree from the prestigious Ivy league college tickled the funny bone of twitter users and '#CelebDegree' quickly started trending on the popular micro blogging site.
Congratulations to Smriti Irani on graduating from Yale in the exact same amount of time it took Me to create the world.
— God (@TheTweetOfGod) August 11, 2014
And " Yale student of the year ". #CelebDegree pic.twitter.com/uS6JKjh5x6
— Abinash Mishra (@Abinash_2K) August 10, 2014
Deewar style, "Mere paas Yale ki degree he!!!" #YoSmritiIsSoEducated #CelebDegree pic.twitter.com/xVwa4cShan
— Abinash Mishra (@Abinash_2K) August 10, 2014
I say Bharat Ratna for Smriti Irani. Getting a degree from Yale in 6 days is no mean feat! #CelebDegree
— Modis Operandi (@eesha_punny) August 11, 2014
@Prerna_India Stickers ready hai :-) @sumitkashyapjha @rachitseth pic.twitter.com/lkzPY2JOye
— Gajendra (@Gajen72) August 11, 2014
BJP plans a crash course in Degress with a slogan " Chee Din me Achche Din" to prepare jobless Aged People in India. #CelebDegree #Yale
— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@chouhan_shivraj) August 11, 2014When pressed further at the 'India Today' event to clear the air over her educational qualifications, Irani told the questioner to file a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) if he wanted to know the truth about the poll affidavit controversy.
"Please go and file a PIL against me in court, I shall give you your answer in court to settle this once and for all," she said when asked which of the two poll affidavits she had filed in 2004 and 2014 was real.
