Ajay Maken under fire for comments on Smriti Irani

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Ajay Maken's remarks questioning the new HRD Minister Smriti Irani's qualifications came under fire on Wednesday with BJP slamming the party.

"Such statements do not suit a party that has been reduced to such numbers in the Lok Sabha polls," Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

"At this time they should be introspecting. Such an ego has already led to their fall," Naqvi added. "What is the educational qualification of Sonia Gandhi that she was heading UPA government," asked Uma Bharati.

Santosh Gangwar of BJP also questioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi's qualifications. "I want to ask Congress how educated is Sonia Gandhi?"

Meem Afzal of Congress supported Maken's comments saying, "When someone for whom education was not a priority is being made education minister then of course people will raise questions."

Manish Tewari on the other hand said that the party leaders should refrain from making such personal attacks. "When we criticize government it should be on substance not superficiality," Tewari said.

The issue of Smriti Irani's educational qualifications was raked up by Congress leader Ajay Maken. "What a Cabinet of Modi? HRD Minister (Looking after Education) Smriti Irani is not even a graduate! Look at her affidavit at ECI site pg 11," he tweeted, wondering how could someone who has not even clearly mentioned her educational qualification be made in charge of HRD.

Government termed as "unfortunate" the Congress swipe over Irani's educational qualification and said the opposition party should focus on its own affairs.

Briefing media after the first Cabinet meeting of the new government, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad contended that she had been given the portfolio by Modi on the basis of her "capabilities".

"The way Smriti speaks, both in Hindi and English... The Prime Minister has given her the portfolio (of HRD) on the basis of her capabilities," said Prasad, who also holds the portfolio of Telecommunication and IT.

Irani also got support from JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav who attacked Congress for raking up the issue while the minister herself refused to comment on the row.

Women rights activist Madhu Kishwar, who started it all with her tweets that were critical of Narendra Modi appointing Irani as HRD Minister, was unsparing in her stand saying that education and research in India was in shambles and something urgently needed to be done to lift standards in the system.

Somebody with a vision was needed for the job, said Kishwar, a self-confessed admirer of Modi.

Kishwar said that as someone in the academia, she felt that the HRD ministry was a very "vital" ministry and that India's education sector was in a mess and somebody with a vision was needed.

The HRD ministry requires handling chief ministers, because education is a state subject and also requires handling vice chancellors, she said.

"HRD needs a head who can steer dexterously between Left and Right extremists in academia to define sensible course unfettered by partisan agendas," she had said on Twitter.

(With inputs from PTI)