Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday finally broke her silence on the controversy over her misrepresentation of affidavits to the election commission about her educational qualification status saying “extraneous circumstances” were created to deviate her attention from work. She sought to silence her critics by maintaining that she should be judged by her work.
Irani had kept mum during the last two days when she also kept away from several briefings at the HRD Ministry. Irani, however, held a series of meetings with different department heads at her residence in the meantime.Ministry sources said, she returned with “high morale” on Thursday and held back-to-back meetings with top officials.The Congress has launched a broadside against her, questioning her ability to deliver as HRD minister as she was “not even a graduate”.“I will humbly request all of you that judge me by my work and I will not add anything to the statement that I have made,” the Minister said.
The 38-year-old television actor-turned politician said, “Extraneous circumstances have been created to ensure that my attention is deviated from the body of work I have been entrusted with.”Irani is at the centre of a raging controversy over her educational qualification after it emerged that she had made contradictory declarations when she contested lok Sabha elections in 2004 and 2014.
Sources said that the HRD Minister has favoured early launch of the proposed 50 DTH educational channels, a project initiated during the UPA regime. Evincing keen interest about the project during a briefing, she is reported to have suggested to the officials to launch by the end of this year these channels which will broadcast educational content live unlike the programmes aired in Gyan Darshan.
Irani is also believed to have been briefed about the four-year degree programme introduced by Delhi University last year. A couple of organisations are planning a demonstration in front of Shastri Bhawan to press for roll back of the programme and removal of the Delhi University Vice-Chancellor.
Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha too called on her and is reported to have discussed the controversy surrounding the appointment of the Vice Chancellors of various Universities in UP and demanded a fresh look into the issue.