Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government in Delhi found itself on the backfoot on Tuesday with both BJP and Congress tearing into the Government for the allegedly fake degree of Delhi law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar.
Both Congress and BJP on Tuesday demanded the resignation of Tomar a day after the Delhi High Court was informed that Tomar’s provisional llB certificate is “fabricated” and does not exist in the institution’s record.
Delhi BJP has also decided to stage a protest outside Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Wednesday.
On the other hand, Tomar has rejected all the charges and alleged that it was a political ploy by the BJP to malign the image of AAP. The party also extended support to the Minister saying Tomar will file his response in the court on August 20 and patience was required till then.
“When all the records will be placed before the court everything will be clear. Doodh ka doodh paani ka paani ho jayega,” he said, adding that all his degrees and certificates were genuine and university records were “tampered with”.
“They (his certificates) are absolutely genuine, 100 per cent genuine,” said Tomar, who is facing charges of possessing fake law degree, to reporters at Delhi Secretariat.
Earlier, Congress leader Ajay Maken said on Twitter: “AAP Delhi law Minister’s law degree found fake. Should be sacked immediately and vacate Assembly seat for fresh election!” BJP leader and Delhi MP Meenakshi lekhi questioned the decision to appoint Tomar to the law Ministry. lekhi also tweeted: “This is a very serious matter, especially when it involves the law Minister
himself”. BJP MlA Vijender Gupta also demanded resignation of Tomar, saying that the sacrosanct duty of the law Minister is to uphold the law, but the law Minister who has occupied the position by virtue forgery and dishonesty, must not remain law Minister even for a day. “There is no point in running 1031 hotline against corruption when a corrupt Minister is being shielded,” he said.
“It is respectfully submitted that on the basis of the enquiry report, and in the university records, the provisional certificate bearing serial no. 3687 was issued on July 29, 1999 to Sanjay Kumar Chaudhary for BA (Honours) Political Science examination held in 1998. Accordingly, the provisional certificate in the name of the respondent no. 5 (Tomar),
is a fabricated document and does not exist in the records of the university,” the affidavit placed before a bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher, had said.
A Bihar-based Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University had on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that it has no record of Delhi law Minister Jitender Singh Tomar completing his law degree from there.
“When the court will summon all the records and registers everything will be clear. The petition filed in the court is politically motivated as BJP has not been able to digest its defeat,” he said.
Regarding the affidavit submitted in the court by Tilka Manjhi University whose law degree Tomar claims to possess, Tomar said that there was nothing “on record”.
Claiming that he was under no pressure from the party leaders over the issue, Tomar said that the court will decide the matter and everyone needs to wait.
AAP too has extended support to Tomar. “The matter is sub judice. The next date of hearing is August 20. I think we should wait for a while and as he has been given time till August 20, I firmly believe adhering to the party ideology and principles he will give his reply to the court,” said an AAP spokesperson.
The Opposition needs to understand that the matter is sub judice and wait as Tomar will file his reply as per his right under principle of natural justice, he added.
Opposition parties on Tuesday demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
step down owning “moral responsibility” after the university told Delhi High Court that provisional certificate of Tomar was “fabricated”.
Tomar, 48, is a first-time Minister. He has faced questions over his educational qualifications since the day he was named part of Kejriwal’s lean team.
A court had earlier asked an Uttar Pradesh college, to confirm Tomar’s graduation degree in science, after similar allegations.
“These things were brought to the notice of Arvind Kejriwal by Prashant Bhushan and other leaders. If Arvind Kejriwal fails to remove the law Minister and take moral responsibility than day after tomorrow, we will hold a massive demonstration outside the Delhi Secretariat,” Maken said.