After the Gujarat High Court quashed the Central Information Commissionโs request for Prime Minister Narendra Modiโs degree from Gujarat University, Aam Aadmi Party supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal made it clear on Saturday that he stands by his #anpadhPM Twitter campaign and the โKya Bharat ka PM padha likha hona chaiyeโ poster campaign, launched in Delhi a few weeks ago.
โThe whole country is shocked by the Gujarat High Courtโs decision. We live in a democracy, and we should have the freedom to access information,โ said Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
On March 31, the Gujarat High Court decided that the Prime Ministerโs Office (PMO) is not obligated to provide the academic records of PM Modi pertaining to his undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Additionally, the court imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 on Kejriwal.
โIt is not a crime to be less educated or illiterate. There are so many poor people in this country who donโt get access to good education,โ he added.
โIn the 21st century when the youth of the country demands fast-paced growth of the nation, it is imperative that the Prime Minister of India be educated,โ he said.
He also expressed his concern about PM Modiโs statements. โHe (PM Modi) recently gave a statement saying the gas that comes out of a gutter can be reused as water to make tea. Anyone who is aware and educated wonโt talk like this,โ he said.
โAnother statement by the PM was, โIf itโs raining and there are clouds, if thereโs an airplane behind these clouds, it wonโt be able to catch radar.โ This shows PM Modi has very little knowledge of science,โ said Kejriwal.
Kejriwal also questioned PM Modiโs views on climate change. โPM Modi tells children thereโs no such thing as climate change. But climate change is a fact.โ
โTherefore, I question whether the PM of this country is educated and how much,โ he said.
Explaining why the PM of a country should be educated, Kejriwal said, โThe PM has to make several decisions in one day in relation to economics, science. If the PM is not educated, people can influence his decisions and make him sign anything. For example, this decision of demonetization has set back India by 10 years. If he was educated, he wouldnโt have agreed to demonetization, and the same goes for GST implementation.โ
According to Kejriwal, the HC order has sparked further suspicion about PM Modiโs educational qualifications. โIf, in fact, thereโs a degree, why canโt it be produced? People are now further in doubt,โ he said.
โIf Narendra Modi has studied from DU and GU, they should be celebrating that their student is now the PM of India. Why hide it?โ he asked.
On March 31, the Gujarat HC observed that it is the โcharacterโ of a leader and his concern for the welfare of the people that matter more than his educational qualification.
