Smriti Irani
Congress' spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday mocked Union minister Smriti Irani over her changing educational status.
Smriti Irani had, on Thursday, submitted to the Election Commission of India that she did not complete her graduation from the University of Delhi. Whereas in her affidavit for 2014 Lok Sabha polls, she had reportedly said she graduated from the university in 1994.
To this end, Priyanka Chaturvedi said a new TV soap could soon arrive with the title 'Kyunki mantri bhi kabhi graduate thhi'.
The Congress spokesperson further appropriated the title track of Smriti Irani's first TV soap 'Kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi' and sang to the reporters: "Qualifications ke bhi roop badalte hain. Naye-naye saanche mein dhalte hain. Ek degree aati hai, ek degree jaati hai, bante affidavit naye."
Smriti Irani is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls against Congress chief Rahul Gandhi from Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. In her affidavit filed during her nomination, she said she passed secondary school examination in 1991 and senior secondary school examination in 1993.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader added she did not complete her Bachelor of Commerce (Part-I) a three-year degree course from Delhi University's School of Open Learning in 1994.
When, in 2014, she claimed she had graduated from the university, the Opposition challenged the veracity of the claim.
This, because Smriti Irani had made a contradictory declaration when she contested the parliamentary election in 2004.
As a candidate in 2004 election from Chandni Chowk in Delhi, Smriti Irani had declared that she had a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. "BA 1996 Delhi University (School of Correspondence)", she wrote in the column which seeks details of university education and the year in which the course was completed.
Smriti Irani had also said at a media event in August 2014 that she had a degree from the prestigious Yale University in the US.
A case was then filed against the textiles minister in the Delhi High Court alleging she misrepresented her education qualification.
Meanwhile, Smriti Irani responded to the jibe by expressing confidence that she would win the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency.
Irani said: "The Congress party workers can do whatever they wish to, they can try to insult me. The reality will be out on May 23. Wayanad will become the permanent seat for Rahul Gandhi as I am going to win."
For the unversed, Smriti Irani is contesting on the Amethi seat -- Congress' bastion.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has filed his nomination from Kerala's Wayanad, along with Amethi.
