Amid the row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree and education qualifications, NCP chief Sharad Pawar asked should anyone's educational degree be a political issue in the country when we are facing unemployment, law & order, and inflation.
“Should anyone's educational degree be a political issue in the country when we are facing unemployment, law & order and inflation? Today, differences are being created among people in the name of religion and caste. Crops have been destroyed due to unseasonal rains in Maharashtra. Discussions are necessary on these issues,” Sharad Pawar said as quoted by the news agency ANI.
This comes just days after Pawar backed billionaire Gautam Adani amid the ongoing tussle between the opposition and the ruling BJP over the Adani-Hindenburg issue and said that names of Ambani-Adani are being used and one must think of their contribution to the country. He said that other issues like unemployment and inflation are more important than Ambai-Adani.
Last Month, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal raised questions on PM Modi's education qualification and said never in its history did India have a PM, who is only a 12th pass. He is incapable of running the government and lets his ego guide his actions. On March 31, the Gujarat High Court set aside the Chief Information Commission (CIC) order and ruled that the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) need not furnish the degree and post-graduate degree certificates of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The single-judge bench of Justice Biren Vaishnav set aside the order of the CIC directing the public information officer (PIO) of PMO, Gujarat University and Delhi University to furnish details of PM Modi's graduation and post-graduation degrees. The bench was hearing an appeal filed by Gujarat University challenging the CIC order.
The High Court also imposed costs of Rs 25,000 on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who had sought details of the certificate of the Prime Minister's degree. After Gujarat HC imposed a cost on Delhi CM in connection with the case related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's educational qualifications he hit out at Gujarat HC and said, "illiterate or less educated PM" is very dangerous for the country.
Under His Leadership BJP Got Majority, Reached Remote Places: Ajit Pawar
Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that using PM Narendra Modi's name BJP came to power with a majority in the 2014 elections and was able to reach remote places. When asked about NCP's different stands on the issues of PM Modi's degree and Veer Savarkar, Pawar said, " Under PM Modi's name the party, which had only two MPs earlier, reached remote places and came in power with full majority. So isn't it PM Modi's magic?"
He said that after winning in 2014, a lot of remarks were made against him. "He gained popularity and BJP won later in various states under his leadership. The same was repeated in 2019. So what is the use of taking out all these issues after nine years? What is important is that people see his work," he said.
Pawar said, "As far as education is concerned it's not considered very important in politics. In Maharashtra, former Chief Ministers like Vasantdada Patil were not very educated but their administration skills were the best. No one forgets this till this date and in fact, during Patil's regime, many educational institutions and colleges were opened," as quoted by ANI.
Ajit Pawar also said that there are no conditions in politics that any MLA, MP or others should be educated. There is a condition of age but not of education as of now, he added. "So I hope I have made my stand clear. You can draw whatever meaning out of it, that is not my concern," he added.