Should educational degree be political issue? asks Sharad Pawar

Mumbai: Slamming opposition parties for an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his university degree, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar has questioned whether someone's educational degree can be a political issue when the country was facing issues like unemployment, law and order issues and inflation.

"Should anyone's educational degree be a political issue in the country when we are facing unemployment, law and 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," Pawar told reporters on Sunday.

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.

Taking to Twitter, Delhi CM said, "Doesn't the country even have the right to know how much their PM has studied? He vehemently opposed showing off his degree in the court. Why? And those who demand to see their degree will be fined? What is this happening? Illiterate or less educated PM is very dangerous for the country."

Delhi CM has been launching continuous attacks on BJP, questioning the "educational qualification" of PM Modi.

Meanwhile, during a press conference on Saturday, after his explosive interview with a television news channel, Pawar said there is "no need" for a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the Adani issue as the Supreme Court-appointed committee will be more reliable and unbiased in its probe into the claims made in the report against the Indian conglomerate.