Ajit Pawar Invites Controversy with PhD Comment

Mumbai: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar courted controversy during the winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature by making a disparaging statement about PhD students saying what they will achieve by doing the PhD. He was heavily trolled on social media with students slamming him by saying that doing a PhD is not as easy as hopping from one party to another. PhD students also staged protests against him at several places in the state on Wednesday.

During the discussion in the Vidhan Parishad on providing benefits to Maratha students through institutes like SARTHI, Congress MLC Satej Patil demanded that the number of fellowships given to students for doing the PhD should be increased.

“The state government has decided to provide fellowships to only 200 students for doing PhD under the SARTHI scheme. There is a need to increase the number of fellowships,” said Patil.

Replying to him, Pawar said, “Do we really need so many PhDs? What are you going to do with your PhD? What will the students achieve by doing the PhD?”

The Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute (SARTHI) focuses on empowering underprivileged students from the Maratha community.

The opposition party members slammed the DCM for his remarks with Congress MLA Nana Patole saying it shows Pawar’s arrogance. Leader of opposition in the Vidhan Parishad Ambadas Davne said Pawar should not make fun of PhD students.

Pawar’s comments also evoked sharp response on social media with the PhD students protesting his statement. Doing a PhD is not as easy as hopping from one party to another, said one student with an apparent dig at Pawar breaking away from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP few months back.