Fake degree row: Jitender Singh Tomar rejects opposition's demand for resignation

Delhi Law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar on Tuesday faced demands for his ouster amid a row over allegedly "fabricating" his law degree, but he rejected the charge of any wrongdoing and refused to step down.
He said the controversy was a BJP ploy to sully the image of Aam Aadmi Party and contended that since no FIR had been registered against him nor any court had made any observation "there is no question of stepping down".

He also met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and was understood to have given an explanation over the whole issue. Despite demands by the BJP and Congress for Tomar's ouster, Kejriwal is believed to be backing him in this case. Responding to a petition which alleged that Tomar had enrolled himself as an advocate on the basis of a "false and bogus" degree, the Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University in Bihar had submitted an affidavit in the Delhi High Court stating that his provisional certificate was "fabricated".

Seizing upon the opportunity, main opposition BJP accused Kejriwal of adopting "double standards" on the issue of corruption and demanded that he dismiss Tomar from the government. "He (Kejriwal) has continuously been adopting double standards. After the affidavit of Bhagalpur university in the Delhi High Court what are they waiting for," Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said and warned that his party will take to streets if Tomar was not dismissed.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi taunted the AAP, saying the Law Minister himself has shown how law is being toyed with. "Whatever degrees were submitted (by Tomar), were fake. The Law Minister himself has shown how law is being toyed with. Those people who spoke about ethics in politics have been unmasked. People of Delhi want answers from AAP for the way you reached here (gained power) by making false promises," Lekhi, who is herself a lawyer, told reporters.

Congress went a step further by not just demanding Tomar's sacking but also Kejriwal's resignation owning "moral responsibility". A clutch of Youth Congress workers also staged a protest outside Kejriwal's residence demanding resignation of the Delhi Law Minister.  "Even after this being pointed out to him (Kejriwal), why the Law Minister was made to continue? So, we demand Arvind Kejriwal should take moral responsibility, step down and the Law Minister should be sacked and seat should be vacated.

"Let people decide who should be their representative in the assembly from that particular constituency (represented by Tomar)," said Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken. Expelled AAP leader and lawyer Prashant Bhushan too said Tomar should steps down.

"The university from where Mr Tomar had allegedly procured his degree, if they are saying that his degree is fabricated, then he has no business to continue as law minister. But it is for the Delhi Government to respond to this," said Bhushan. Unfazed by the opposition onslaught, Tomar rejected the charge and ruled out his resignation.

"When all the records will be placed before the court everything will be clear.'Doodh Ka Doodh Pani Ka Pani ho jayega'," Tomar said, claiming his degrees and certificates were genuine and that university records had been "tampered with". "They (his certificates) are absolutely genuine, 100 per cent genuine," Tomar told reporters.

"It is a politically-motivated petition. Wrong facts have been given. The court has not issued any direction. I will prove all facts of reports in court of law. My political rival (BJP) is unable to digest their defeat and when the court will summon the entire record, everything will be clear. The court has neither made any observation nor has given any direction," Tomar said.

He claimed some "facts" like the roll number mentioned in the RTI reply have been tampered with. "In RTI reply sought from the university, the roll number was wrong...it was not mine. Some facts have been manipulated.

It is the conspiracy of the BJP which is trying to defame me," he said. Asked if he would step down in view of the charges levelled against him, Tomar said,"Why should I step down? No FIR has been registered against me. No probe is going on against me...everybody is free to file petition in the court, but these allegations have not been proved. "There is no question of stepping down. I will strongly prove my stand in the court in the next hearing," he said.

Tomar, meanwhile, met Kejriwal to offer an explanation following the controversy. "He explained all things pertaining to his degree to Kejriwal and told him that all his certificates are genuine...," said a senior government official.