Degree row: Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley display PM Modi's degrees, Kejriwal claims it is fake

BJP on Monday released copies of BA and MA degrees of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in response to Aam Aadmi Party's allegations questioning his degree from Delhi but AAP hit back saying the documents were "forged" and had "glaring discrepancies" in them.

In a bid to set at rest the row over Modi's educational qualifications, BJP President Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley addressed a press conference where they released the graduation degree taken from Delhi University and the masters' degree from Gujarat University. The two leaders launched a blistering attack on AAP leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accusing him of lowering the public discourse by spreading "lies" and substituting governance with "politics of adventurism". They demanded an apology from him.

Shah and Jaitley alleged that Kejriwal has tried to turn a "lie" into truth by running a campaign to mislead the people of the country.

Jaitley said the kind of allegations that have been levelled against Modi threatens "federal polity" in the country when a Union Territory indulges in "irresponsible behaviour" to attack the Prime Minister. They challenged the Delhi Chief Minister to verify his claims. "Arvind Kejriwal has been spreading lies about the Prime Minister's credentials. He has committed the sin of defaming the country. It is very unfortunate that we have to hold a press conference about the Prime Minister's educational qualification. When you do not have any proof, how can you spread allegations. He should apologise to the entire nation," said Shah, adding he will also write a letter to Kejriwal to satisfy his queries.

When asked about the authenticity of Modi's BA degree, Shah told a reporter to check it with the Delhi University. Jaitley said it was ironical that such a charge has come from a political party several of whose MLAs are being prosecuted for having fake degrees. "The politics of adventurism is being treated as a substitute for governance," he said. 

AAP's allegation

Kejriwal has been alleging that the Prime Minister's BA degree is fake and that it was obtained by a namesake of him from Alwar. Shortly later, however, an unfazed AAP continued to persist with its claims on the issue.

AAP leader Ashutosh addressed a press conference in which he claimed Modi's name does not match in the BA mark sheet and that of the MA degree and even claimed that there were discrepancies in the year of passing as well. "Nakal ke liye bhi akal ki zaroorat hai (One needs brains even to copy). The BA mark sheet is dated 1978 while the degree is of the year 1979. His name in the BA mark sheet is Narendra Kumar Damodardas Modi while in Masters degree, it is Narendra Damoderdas Modi," said the AAP leader.

He said there were discrepancies in the PM's name even at the BA level with it being recorded as 'Narendra Kumar Damodardas Modi' in one of the mark sheets while it was spelt as 'Narendra Damoderdas Modi' in the degree certificate.

Even in BA mark sheets, another AAP leader Dilip Pandey said, surname is spelt "Modi" in one case while it changes to "Mody" in another.  

BJP counters AAP's charges

Refuting AAP's allegations that the degrees released by BJP were "forged", party's National Secretary Shrikant Sharma blamed "clerical mistakes" for discrepancies in the names and pointed out that they were the same in the final marksheet and the certificate of BA course. He also lashed out at Kejriwal saying AAP was an "infection" that was "poisoning" the nation's polity and said he had once gone to jail for levelling "false" charges and will be behind bars again.

Giving point-by-point rebuttal of AAP's charges levelled at a press conference, Sharma said there were two mark sheets in 1977 as Modi had taken examinations twice. Modi had failed in the first examination, according to the mark sheet, and had to reappear.

"Modi's names in the BA marks sheet and certificate of 1978 were same. As far as some differences in his names in other papers are concerned, these are nothing but clerical errors," Sharma said.

Hitting out at AAP, he said the party had earlier claimed that the DU degree belonged to a Alwar-based person, whose name resembled that of the Prime Minister, but that person has already clarified that he was in the commerce stream.

To AAP's question about Modi's master's degrees in Political Science, he said the Gujarat University Vice Chancellor has also confirmed its authenticity. "AAP is a champion of lies. It is working at the behest of Congress and has become its B-team. Modi stands for probity and transparency in the public life. AAP had emerged with its claim of reforming politics but it has become an infection poisoning it," he said.  

Last week, the Delhi Chief Minister had said that he can assert with "full responsibility" that Delhi University's records have no mention of "Narendra Damodardas Modi" and that one "Narendra Kumar Mahavir Prasad Modi" from Alwar had taken admission in 1975. 

Kejriwal had said the issue was not whether the PM was "10th pass or 12th pass" but that he has furnished "fake" certificates and "cheated" the people of the country. Jaitley said there cannot be a bigger example of an "Aam Aadmi" than Modi as despite being in public life, he would travel from Gujarat to Delhi in the 70s to take BA examination as an external student.

"I knew this because I was a student union leader in Delhi University then as he would stay in ABVP office in 33, Bungalow Road here," he added.

Taking a jibe at AAP, he said it should have rather praised Modi for his educational achievements as a common man for whom it is supposed to speak. "Without checking up any fact, AAP levelled such allegations. It is public discourse at its lowest level," he said.

Asked whether a case of defamation would be filed against Kejriwal, Shah ruled it out.

He also attacked Congress' Manish Tewari and JD (U) leader K C Tyagi for supporting Kejriwal on the issue. "Congress should first clear the air on the AgustaWestland issue," he said.

Asked to comment on the CIC order over the issue, Shah refused to react saying it was a legal issue whether the order was wrong or right. 

AAP demands apology

Ashutosh said striking off the part of one's name was not possible without an affidavit and asked Jaitley and Shah to produce copy of the affidavit. "His MA degree says he had done his post-graduation in 'Entire Political Science'. Is that even possible. There are lots of discrepancies in his degrees and masters' degree," said Ashutosh. The AAP leader also said Modi had failed once while doing the BA degree. "We have proved that the degrees are forged. Amit Shah, Arun Jaitley and Modi should apologise for this forgery which is a crime," Ashutosh added.

He said he has filed RTI seeking copies of enrolment register and convocation register for PM's degree from Delhi University. 

Ashutosh also asked the BJP leaders to come with the AAP leaders to Delhi University and jointly check out the facts about Modi's educational documents there.