Kejriwal censures DU for blocking RTI query on Narendra Modi's degree

With Delhi University blocking the RTI query seeking details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BA degree, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday asserted that this development has further deepened the 'mystery' surrounding the degree.

Taking to Twitter to express his astonishment over DU's decision, Kejriwal hit out at the Centre saying, "What? But why? Didn't Amit shah n Jaitley ji say that degree was genuine and anyone cud take it from DU?"

Stating that if DU felt that the information regarding the Prime Minister's degree was 'private', the Chief Minister further said that they should write to the latter seeking his permission to release the classified information.

The Delhi University in its reply to the RTI has said that they have the right to maintain the privacy of every student and that the information can be disclosed only to the student it concerns.

"The information pertaining to the student of the SOL DU is treated as personal information of the student concerned, the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest," the RTI reply stated.

It further said, that if the applicant is not satisfied with the reply, he can appeal to the Appellate Authority of the School of Open Learning (SOL) Delhi University within 30 days from the issue of the reply letter.

Advocate Mohd Irsad, the applicant had filed an RTI wishing to inspect the documents regarding the Prime Minister's degree.

The RTI read: Did the student ever apply for duplicate copy of his mark sheet or degree? If yes, I wish to inspect the application with all its annexure, Degree entry register of Exam IV branch which contains the entry of the student with this enrol no, Degree entry register of SOL, which contains entry of the student with this enrol no, Register which contains signature of receipt of degree of the student with this enrol no, Signature of the student of receipt of degree at convocation

Last month, Delhi University Registrar professor Tarun Das said the Bachelor of Arts degree obtained by Narendra Damodar Das Modi from the university in 1978 was "genuine".

"Although the university maintains privacy of the students enrolled here intact, taking into consideration the media queries in the past few days, I would like to say the Bachelor of Arts degree obtained by Narendra Damodar Das Modi from Delhi University in 1978 is genuine," Prof. Das told ANI.

On May 9, BJP president Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had released copies of Prime Minister Modi's BA and MA degrees in response to AAP's allegations.

However, the AAP said the college degrees of Prime Minister Modi as shown by Shah and Jaitley were "fake and forged".

"The way Shah showed Prime Minister Modi's Bachelor and Master's degree was absurd. Shah and Jaitley are not God that they will bring any degree and the people of the nation will believe. The degrees shown by them are fake and forged," alleged AAP spokesman Ashutosh.

Kejriwal had earlier claimed that the Delhi University records showed that Prime Minister Modi had never enrolled in the university, contradicting the latter's claim that he obtained his BA degree from the university.