New Delhi: Deciding to go all out in their attack on BJP leader Smriti Irani, the Congress said on Wednesday that their main concern was with discrepancies in the new HRD Minister's poll affidavits.
Addressing the media in the national capital, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said, “Our issue is discrepancies in Irani's affidavits,” adding, “We request that the media, not to distort or trivialize the issue.”
He emphasised that the Congress was not interested in personal issues of qualification.
“In 2004 affidavit it is mentioned Smriti Irani is BA pass and in 2014 affidavit it is mentioned BCom Part-1. Now, only BJP can state which is true.” Singhvi pointed out.
The controversy over Irani's educational qualification snowballed today with the BJP hitting back at the issue which was first raised by Congress leader Ajay Maken yesterday.
Whereas BJP spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the Congress should leave their arrogance behind and introspect as the people had rejected them in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, another party leader Uma Bharti questioned the educational qualification of Sonia Gandhi.
Uma said that she wanted to know about Congress president's qualification because she was heading the UPA government and was giving directions to it.
Irani also got support from JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Maken sparked a row yesterday when he sent out series of Tweets ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Cabinet.
In one of the tweets he pointed out that HRD minister Smriti Irani was not even a graduate. “What a Cabinet of Modi? HRD Minister (looking after education) Smriti Irani is not even a graduate. Look at her affidavit at ECI site page 11,” he wrote.
In another post he said that 10 states and 6 UTs were unrepresented in the new PM's Cabinet. Then he went on to say that after challenging China and Pakistan in almost every election speech Modi could not find a Defence Minister.
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!
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) May 27, 2014
What a Cabinet of Modi? 10 States and 6 UTs unrepresented!
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) May 27, 2014
What a Cabinet of Modi? In almost every election speech he challenged China, Pakistan etc, but could not find a Defence Minister!
— Ajay Maken (@ajaymaken) May 27, 2014 Modi was sworn-in as India's 15th Prime Minister on May 26 at a glittering ceremony attended by more than 4000 guests including almost all heads of SAARC nations.
Along with Modi, 45 other ministers also took oath with him, including Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, M Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Uma Bharti, Maneka Gandhi, Ananth Kumar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani and Harsh Vardhan.
Among those belonging to BJP's allies who took oath were Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Akali Dal), Anant Geete (Shiv Sena) and Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP).
Modi, who was BJP's PM candidate, stormed to power on May 16, the day results for 2014 Lok Sabha polls were announced. BJP secured majority on its own crossing the magical figure of 272 and the NDA crossed the 300 figure mark
On the other hand, the Congress was decimated in the polls, ending with just 44 seats, its worst ever tally. Though, unlike the BJP, the grand old party had not announced any PM candidate, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was leading the campaign.
First Published: Wednesday, May 28, 2014, 17:48
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