Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Amethi Lok Sabha seat Smriti Irani on Thursday, 11 April, submitted to the Election Commission that she did not complete her graduation from Delhi University.
On Friday, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, in a press conference, took a dig at the Union minister, saying that a new serial, Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi, was going to hit the screens.
“Its opening line will be, ‘Qualifications ke bhi roop badalte hain, naye-naye sanche mein dhalte hain, ek degree aati hai, ek degree jaati hai, bante affidavit naye hain.”Priyanka Chaturvedi, Congress Spokesperson
‘Congress Attacking Me in Every Way Possible’: Irani Responds
Responding to the flak she is facing from all ends, Union minister Smriti Irani said this is one of the Congress’ many ways to attack her, as they have been doing since the past five years.
“ In the last five years, they have attacked me in every which way possible. I only have one message for them, the more you will insult me, the more you will attack me, the harder I will work against the Congress in Amethi.”Smriti Irani, Union minister
Twitter Joins Congress, Trolls Irani Over Gaffe
Twitterati was all kinds of amused, sarcastic and angry over the development. It was more about the HRD minister lying about her educational qualification than the qualification itself. How can a ‘liar be a people’s representative’ was the more burning question than how can someone with no graduation degree be one.
Journalist Swati Chaturvedi said, “My problem is the fact that she has lied repeatedly on oath & to the courts. I don’t think a serial liar should be a public representative.”
National spokesperson of Congress, Sanjay Jha, among other Twitter users, also agreed, “Smriti Irani may or may not be a graduate. But being inconsistent with facts while disclosing educational qualifications is infelicitous,” he tweeted.
One Twitter user questioned her listing the incomplete B.Com degree under the qualifications.
“In fact she didn't even finish part 1. How can she even list it as a qualification? Oh wait she can because she's not educated enough to know how the education system works,” he joked.
Journalist Rifat Jawaid pointed out the irony in Smriti Irani working on drafting new educational policy.
Then, of course there were memes poking fun at the minister.
Smriti Irani did respond with the ‘Congress is attacking me’ rebuttal just like in 2018, when she responded to Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of her fake degree by calling him a “congenital liar”. But she hasn’t given a proper explanation nor has any other leader in the BJP.
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