STATEMENT FROM INDIA TODAY GROUP

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has put out a statement saying that Mrs Smriti Irani's statement about her participation in a leadership programme at Yale University has been misconstrued. Produced below is the text transcript of the mentioned question and answers with the HRD Minister at the India Today Woman Summit and Awards.

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Question: When you filed your affidavit before the Election Commission in 2004 you said that you have completed your BA degree programme from the School of Correspondence but your 2014 affidavit says you have completed only the first part of your BCom programme. What is the reality behind the mystery of the Smriti affidavit?

Smriti Irani You know in that kitty of mine - where people call me 'anpadh' - I have a degree from Yale as well which I can bring out and show how Yale celebrated my leadership capacity - and I have said this that extraneous circumstances are being created so that I deviate from my concentration on what my goals are. It is best that I be judged from what I deliver as a minister. But I must say this that another colleague of your's - Anjana - she told me ("aap to padhke aaye hoge aaj") you must have studied beforehand - to which I said "aap ne suna nehi nehi mai unpadh hoon" (haven't you heard that I am not prepared/ - literally illiterate) I think that we are now in the government to provide an opportunity for all those who could not complete their education because they did not have enough time and they were busy trying to earn two rotis a day. I was one of those people. Kaveree spoke about Manoj Prabhakar and me selling cosmetics - I did sell cosmetics on the streets of Janpath for two hundred rupees - I did not have money I admit to that today - do I do that with a sense of humiliation? No I do it with a sense of pride - that a girl who sold cosmetics on the streets of Janpath for two hundred bucks can become a cabinet minister in this country.

Question: I was wondering how did you go to Yale and how many years did you study there?

Smriti: Well Ma'am I had asked one of my seniors should I show them something of a leadership program that I did at Yale - and he said - well the next time they will ask you a ration card as well - so just be judged by your own ability to deliver as a minister but I will just say that I did do a leadership program there as well as a member of parliament and I would be happy for you to inspect that certificate as well.

Question: Smriti ji - the answer to the question about your degree remains unanswered. Your first affidavit speaks of a bachelor's degree while the latest affidavit says that you completed only the first part of your BA programme. Which one of the two is correct? You are a public personality maybe you would like to put an end to the mystery.

Smriti: Please file a PIL on this issue - I shall take the opportunity to answer you in court so that this issue gets settled once and for all - I have this experience with you - whatever I say you will not satisfy you - I am inviting you to place this question before a court and I shall answer it there and end this once and for all.



CLARIFICATION:

It is clarified by the India Today Group that while in reply to the first question the minister did claim that she had a degree from Yale University, in response to the second question she clarified that she had done a leadership programme at Yale for which she had received a certificate.

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