Now, allegations against a BJP minister for violation of norms

AGRA: Smarting after the arrest of Delhi ex-law minister Jitender Singh Tomar's alleged fake degree, AAP has launched a broadside against Union minister of state for HRD, Ramshankar Katheria, alleging that his appointment as a lecturer in Agra's Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar University in 2000 was in clear violation of UGC norms.

According to AAP's Agra unit, Katheria, still a reader in the Hindi department on a non-pay leave from the varsity , had obtained only 39.5% marks in BA and 50.8 % in MA, and had not even qualified the national eligibility test (NET). According to UGC norms, applicants for the post should either have a PhD or must have qualified NET or both.

AAP's district coordinator Kapil Agarwal said the party plans to escalate its campaign against the Agra MP. In support of his allegations, Agarwal has two documents, copies of which are with TOI, showing how questions have been raised against Katheria's appointment even in the past.

A 2012 letter from university registrar Prabhat Ranjan to then vice-chancellor Prof DN Johar states that Katheria lacks qualifications to become a lecturer. Another letter from then UP governor BL Joshi in 2014 directs the V-C to convene a meeting of the executive council and take appropriate action in the matter in two months.The governor said Katheria did not possess the minimum qualifications for the post. Veracity of both the documents could not be immediately confirmed by varsity officials.

When asked to comment, present registrar Kailash Nath Singh said, “I have recently joined the university and am unaware of the order, although it appears genuine. I have to search our files for the originals to take any action."

Katheria retorted, “Whosoever has a problem is free to approach the court. What was my fault? I was called for the interview by the selection committee and given the job."