HRD Minister Smriti Irani seeks revocation of suspension of DU staff

NEW DELHI: HRD Minister Smriti Irani today asked Delhi University to "reinstate" five non-teaching staff members, who were suspended for allegedly leaking purported documents relating to her undergraduate admission and admit card following a row over her educational qualifications.

Irani said that in public life one should be open to scrutiny and criticism. "So am I," the Minister said on microblogging site Twitter.

She said that "since Delhi University is an autonomous institution, I have put forth my personal appeal to the Vice Chancellor to reinstate the officials".

University sources had yesterday said that its School of Open Learning has suspended five persons on the suspicion that they entered a confidential domain and accessed documents which were leaked.

Those suspended are a Section Officer and four officials below him in hierarchy. An inquiry has been initiated against them, they said.

Meanwhile, Congress attacked the Narendra Modi government over the suspension of the officials.

"5 officials of Delhi University suspended for leaking HRD Minster's educational qualification details!Does this Govt believe in transparency," party general secretary Digvijay Singh tweeted.

Taking another potshot at the government, he said, "ACHHE DIN AA GAYE HEIN. Would anyone stand up for the suspended officials of DU ?"

After Irani sought revocation of the suspension, Singh quipped, "Thanks Smriti for appealing to VC DU for reinstating DU officials. Now let people of this Country know your actual Educational Qualification".

Sources said the officials have admitted to SOL's Director Chandra Shekhar Dubey to leaking the documents.

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.

Congress had launched a broadside against her questioning her ability to deliver as HRD minister as she was "not even a graduate".

Irani had said "extraneous circumstances" were created to deviate her attention from work and asked the people to judge her by her work.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Manish Tewari today asked Irani to "explain the correct position to the country" about the contradictory declarations about her educational qualification she had made when the HRD Minister contested Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and 2014.

Noting that an affidavit is a "sworn legal document", Tewari said, "since there are discrepancies between the various affidavits I think it is incumbent upon the minister to explain the correct position to the country".

"It has a certain legal sanctity," the former Union Minister said.

The Congress leader also hit out at the authorities for suspending five non-teaching staff for allegedly leaking purported documents relating to Iran's undergraduate admission and admit card following the row over her educational qualifications.

"Now this smacks not only arrogance but it smacks of high-handedness. May be it is a precursor on the manner in which this government wants to conduct the affairs of the nation," Tewari said.

He said "such vindictive or vengeful action against subordinate officials is something which... deserves to be corrected".