Some remain illiterate despite being educated in IIT: LG on Kejriwal targeting PM over degree

NEW DELHI: In a dig at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Sunday said that one should not be boastful about one’s degree and some people remain illiterate despite being educated in IIT.

Saxena was asked about Kejriwal’s comments targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his educational qualifications and questioning the genuineness of his degrees.

“I have heard the comments made by the honourable chief minister in the Assembly. One should never be boastful about their degree. A degree is only a receipt of education but real education lies in your knowledge and behaviour.

“I have seen the kind behaviour exhibited over the last few days. It has been proved how some people remain illiterate despite being educated in IIT,” the LG said.

The Delhi chief minister, who has studied at IIT, and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have launched a fresh attack on the issue since the Gujarat High Court recently quashed a seven-year-old order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) that had asked the Gujarat University to provide information on Modi’s degree to Kejriwal. The HC also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the AAP chief, who was the RTI applicant in the matter.

Reacting to Saxena’s remarks, AAP leader and Delhi Education Minister Atishi accused him of raising questions on prestigious institutions like IITs and said the LG and BJP leaders should also show their degrees.

“LG sahab is raising questions on those IITs, in whose name Indian students become CEOs of big companies and make the nation proud.

“Those who have to hide their degrees will raise questions over the degrees of others. I would request LG sir to show his degree too and also ask the other BJP leaders to show their degrees,” she said at a press conference.

Earlier in the day, Saxena visited the supplementary drain in Wazirabad and reviewed the Yamuna cleaning work.

“We are cleaning Yamuna banks in a mission mode. We will clean the 22 km stretch by June 30,” he said.

“We are not working for credit but to give clean Yamuna to the people,” he said when asked about the criticism of the AAP government.

However, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the lieutenant governor of claiming credit for the work done by the city government to clean the Yamuna.

Addressing a press conference, the minister also spoke of various initiatives taken by his government to clean the Yamuna.

“His job is not to visit drains but various police stations that come under him. There are 350 police stations in Delhi. He should visit them. But he visits drains where work is going on and claims credit for the work being done by the government,” the minister said.

“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has never raised the issue but this has been happening,” Bharadwaj added.(Agencies)