Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi: Congress mocks Smriti Irani educational qualification row

The Congress on Friday took a jibe on Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani saying a new serial is going to come, titled "Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi (Once a Minister was also a graduate)".

In reference to Smriti Irani-starrer Hindi serial 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahun Thi', Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "A new serial is going to come - Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi. Its opening line will be 'Qualifications ke bhi roop badalte hain, naye-naye sanche mein dhalte hain, ek degree aati hai, ek degree jaati hai, bante affidavit naye hain. (Qualification versions also changes, get moulded in new forms, one degree comes and the other goes, new affidavits gets created)."After Smriti declared in the poll affidavit that she is not a graduate, the Congress leader said, "Smriti Irani ji has proved that it is possible only in Modi government to become from a graduate to Class 12 pass."

The former Human Resource Development Minister in her 2019 poll affidavit said that she passed secondary school examination in 1991 and senior secondary school examination in 1993.

Smriti, who is contesting against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, declared that she did not complete her Bachelor of Commerce - Part 1, a three-year degree course from Delhi University's School of Open Learning in 1994.

This is not the first time that Smriti's educational degree has been a subject of controversy.

In her 2014 poll affidavit, Smriti had claimed that she graduated from the Delhi University in 1994, triggering a controversy over the authenticity of her claim. At that time, the Opposition had claimed that Smriti Irani was not even a graduate.