Cong leader breaks into song to target Smriti Irani

A Congress leader on Friday broke into a song to target Union Minister Smriti Irani over her educational qualifications, accusing her of "falsifying" the same every year.

At a press conference here, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi reprised a spoof of the title track of a popular television serial of yesteryears, 'Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' which had catapulted Irani to fame.

The Congress party revived the row over Irani's educational qualifications a day after she filed her nomination papers for the Lok Sabha election from Amethi against Congress President Rahul Gandhi.

"Qualifications ke bhi roop badalte hain, naye-naye saanche mein dhalte hain, ek degree aati hai, ek degree jaati hai, bante affidavit naye hain' (Qualifications keep changing, keep assuming newer forms, one degree comes, another degree goes, new affidavits keep coming)," Chaturvedi sang.

She said the title track was from an upcoming television serial 'Kyun ki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate thi'.

The Congress spokesperson mocked Irani's declaration in the election affidavit that she had "not completed" the three-year degree course in Commerce that she was pursuing through distance education.

"We have no issue with the fact that Smriti Irani is not a graduate. The issue here is that she has lied repeatedly on oath and to the courts," Chaturvedi said referring to Irani's affidavit submitted to the poll authority while filing her nomination papers in Amethi on Thursday.

What is the row?

In the category of Highest Educational Qualification, Irani's affidavit read "Bachelor of Commerce Part-1" from the School of Open Learning (Correspondence) University of Delhi. The year is 1994. "Three year degree course not completed," was written in brackets.

She made a similar declaration in 2017, in the affidavit submitted to the poll authority while seeking a re-election to the Rajya Sabha.

In 2014 Lok Sabha election from Amethi, Irani had mentioned in the affidavit “Bachelor of Commerce Part-1, School of Open Learning (Correspondence) University of Delhi, 1994”.

In 2004 Lok Sabha elections, when she was in the fray from Chandni Chowk in Delhi, her affidavit had mentioned B.A. or Bachelor of Arts, 1996, Delhi University (School of Correspondence).